Two Worlds
by Ashra Blitzgeschwind
Summary: The heroine, a total normal girl as I assure you :p, suddenly bumps into Lith My'Athar, chapter two of NWN HotU, and has to discover what she can do to stop the Valsharess...
1. The Arrival

**DECLAIMER: NWN does not belong to me, Valen does not either (shame actually). I only adore him and the person who designed his character (appearance as well as personality) and couldn't refrain from burrowing bits of the conversations to serve my own fantasies ^^**

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**Two Worlds**

Chapter One – The Arrival

She woke with a sever headache and her body covered in sweat, when somebody knocked at her door and asked: „My Lady, can I bring you something?" She slightly moved her body and felt the fabric of her shirt glueing on her body. Automatically one hand went to her neck and with a relieving sigh she felt the familiar form of her mother's necklace there.

"I need a bath", she muttered and couldn't add anything before the voice already humbly replied: "Of course, my Lady, in an instant." She then heard footsteps behind the door, which stopped shortly afterwards and mumbling voices reached her tired head. She couldn't make anything out of the conversation, only just as one of the voices became louder and replied angrily: "She's having a bath and dressing up? Before seeing the Seer?" followed by an indignant snort. The voice kind of waked her from her doze and made her curious about her whereabouts. With eyes half shut, vaguely realizing that she didn't know where she was, she stumbled to the door and opened it a little to gaze outside.

About three steps ahead stood two men, still arguing. She couldn't see much because the one closer to her had his back turned in her direction and covered the other one with his broad shoulders. However, what she saw made her twinkle twice or trice and gape with a most sheepish look on her face. The man she could see was big and broad with red hair and clad like a warrior. So far, so good. A little more exceptional were the two brown horns covering his head and a thin sinewy tail on his back, lashing quickly from one side to another. The sight of this amazed her so much that she didn't even notice that the two men had stopped their conversation, obviously having recognized her presence. And it was only when both turned towards her and the clear blue gaze of the horned man met with her own that she realized. She closed her mouth instantly and her eyes widened in irritation at the sight of this cold, stern look amid a face of pale skin with a touch of greenish-blue.

"Wha-what is going on here?" She stammered.

The look in the clear blue eyes got even more piercing, though this was almost not possible, when the man answered smirking: "If you would be so kind to come down to the temple, after your luxurious toilette, my Lady, you could be informed about it." With these words he turned and was about to walk away.

She pressed her teeth together and frowned. She could feel the heat of rage coming op her head, when she shouted back with an imperious tone in her voice that surprised herself: "WAIT!" It seemed to work, because the horned man froze, turned and looked at her with one eyebrow lifted, saying nothing. This stoicism drove her mad and so she continued to shout in his direction: "Maybe someone could tell me, where I am and who you are and…", she turned to the still totally perplexed other man - realizing on the edge of her conscience that he had black-blue skin colour and white long hair - and continued, "or he? And why the hell am I here!!!??"

During her statement she had felt an observing gaze of deep blue eyes walking up and down her form. When she'd finished he finally replied with a teasing grin: "As I said, you can be informed about that down in the temple." His grin got broader. "But before that I'd suggest a small dress up, my Lady. You could at least need some clothing." Irritated she looked down herself and gasped. She only wore a small shirt, which was covered in sweat and underlined the form of her slender body. "Great", she hissed and looked up again. "If someone could bring me some clothes then, because I don't know where mine are!" With that she turned on her heels, stepped back into her room and slammed the door shut.

About half an hour later she went through the corridors of the building, everybody called 'the temple'. The architecture looked as alien to her as the people roaming about. "This way." The soft and girlish voice of the woman who accompanied her, interrupted her thoughts and guided her to a staircase leading down. The woman had called herself Nathyrra and had shown up shortly after her quarrel in the corridor. She had brought her water to clean and a robe to cover her body. She seemed quite nice, though she had the same strange black-blue skin, white hair and tipped ears as the one man she had met minutes ago. This gave her a dark and ominous appearance. Nathyrra was obviously sent by this mysterious Seer to help her catching up with the situation and the woman made no secret out of it. She also told her willingly that she was a Dark Elf, a so-called Drow, and that everybody of her people looked like this. She on the other hand was also very interested in the other woman's pale orange coloured skin as she hadn't seen many other races, yet. By the help of Nathyrra she already got to know that they were in a camp of Drow rebels and the only one here not being a Dark Elf beside her was the horned man, whom she called a tiefling. She only nodded while trying to absorb all information and fighting down panic-attacks about the reason she was here and not at least the circumstances she had _come_ here.

When they both reached the centre of the temple, a quite large group of people was already waiting for them. Nathyrra finally stopped in front of a tall and beautiful Drow woman in impressing but still simple garments. Nathyrra bowed shortly and whispered: "There she is, Mother Seer", she then stepped away some paces behind her.

"Welcome in Lith My'Athar, Ariaen", the woman named the Seer smiled at her and opened her arms as to show her that this was the name of this place.

She blinked. "How did you call me?"

The Seer smiled even more deeply. "Ariaen Pathfinder, that's the name you are known by within our realms". She gaped, thoughts whirling around her mind. _Should I tell her that this is not my name? Should I tell her my real name?_ _Should I tell her that she's mistaken?_ But instead she only stammered: "Are …you sure?" The Seer nodded warmly. "Yes. I saw you in a vision helping us in the battle against the Valsharess." The Dark Elven woman bent slightly in her direction and looked deeply into her eyes. "And - I'm never mistaken", she whispered finally.

Ariaen's eyes widened, she nodded, shook her head and twinkled being unable to catch a clear thought. "Was it you who brought me here then?" she finally managed to say aloud.

"That's true."

Ariaen sighed deeply and looked up to the Seer again. "But I really don't know how I could help you. What you see is what I am. No more and no less."

The Seer didn't stop smiling. "Don't worry this will be enough, according to my vision. There are several things though, that have to be done, before the battle. But, of course, you won't have to do it alone. There are people to assist you, to help you."

"And these are?" Ariaen replied a little distracted by urgently trying to think of a way out of this situation, before things got out of hand. "Myself and everybody here. But especially", the Seer focused on a spot behind Ariaen, "Nathyrra and," she pointed behind herself, "I suppose you already made acquaintance with Valen Shadowbreath", she finished. Ariaen groaned and looked at the strange man again. "If you mean this horned man without manners? Yes, I did," she replied ignoring the annoyed snort that was his reply.

She suddenly got impatient and angry. She actually wanted to shout that this could not be real, that she wanted to go home, that she didn't know anything about battles and fights, when she realized the silence in the room. Her sight fell on a dozen of Drow, dressed in armour and equipped with various weapons. They all looked at her with a mix of breathtaking hope and starting desperation.

She cleared her throat and looked again towards the tall Drow woman. "Could we maybe speak in private, Lady Seer?" This was the first time the smile vanished from the face of the Seer, just to be replaced by a look of concern. "If you think that this is necessary, Ariaen." Ariaen only nodded resolutely and the Seer made a gesture to her followers. "Please, leave the room for once, so that we could speak confidently." Movement and murmur arose, but nobody refused.

Ariaen, ashamed of what she was going to say soon, had looked down at her feet while everybody was leaving. When she raised her eyes again she was surprised seeing the horned man still standing behind the Seer. She narrowed her eyes and said angrily: "I meant only the two of us!" He didn't move, while responding coldly: "I'm not going to leave the Seer unprotected."

Ariaen shook her head, he seemed not open to argue about it and she was actually too tired and confused to do it herself. Instead, she fully concentrated on the Seer, her voice almost pleading.

"Lady Seer", she sighed, "I really don't know how I should put this, but I honestly am sure that you must have picked the wrong person." She started to walk through the room nervously, while continuing: "See, I have no skill in fighting, like…him". She pointed at Valen without stopping her pace. "Or in magic like Nathyrra or you. In the world I come from, we don't have magic and we", she grimaced, "don't usually get trained in hand to hand combat. In a fight, let alone a battle there's no possibility I could be of any use." With the last words she let herself fall onto a little stool standing nearby. She looked up at the Seer again and noted that the warrior looked at her cold and repelling. She only spared him a short gaze, until her eyes went back to the Dark Elven woman. Again there was no smile on the Seer's face, but an expression of motherly care, when she spoke to Ariaen again.

"You where overwhelmed today with a lot of things. You must be weary and confused. However, I _know_ that you are the right person and", now her gaze got soliciting, "are the _only_ hope for our people in the coming battle."

The Seer's gaze made Ariaen shiver, such conviction spoke out of her eyes making her almost believe in this vision herself. After some long moments in which nobody said a word, Ariaen finally sighed like so many times before.

"Lady Seer, as you said, I'm tired and confused. I need to think about all this. I would like to…just rest a while and speak to you again in the evening, if…if that's okay with you?"

The Seer lay one hand on her shoulder and smiled again a little relieving. "Of course it is. Rest and if you need something just ask. Otherwise nobody will disturb you before the evening meal."

Ariaen smiled at the Drow and with a whispered "Thank you" took her leave. She had just opened the door to the staircase when she heard the low voice of the horned man again starting an argument with the Seer not meant for her ears. Ariaen didn't turn around, but before the door fell in its lock she heard the Seer say loud and clearly. "You should be for her, if you are for us, my dear Valen."

Ariaen slept long at least that's how she felt when she woke up again. But in fact, she had no sense of time in these strange surroundings. Outside her window it was always dark, a fact that didn't help cheering her up. She watched the Dark Elves passing under her window with an absent mind when a faint knock raised her attention. She turned slowly, surprised that it should already be dinner time when she said: "Come in."

Slowly the door was opened and Nathyrra's face appeared in the door grinning. The rest of her slender and elegant body followed and she closed the door behind her.

"Sorry for the disturbance", she said, but obviously didn't mean it and without asking settled herself opposite to the bed on which Ariaen sat.

"What is it, Nathyrra?", Ariaen asked the Dark Elven woman, as she realized that she didn't come to get her for dinner.

"Well", Nathyrra began slowly, biting her upper lip, "I was wondering about something you said". Ariaen looked at her without responding.

"Eh, you said that you are no magic user, but that's not true."

Ariaen looked had her in bewilderment. "What do you mean with 'That's not true'?"

Nathyrra bend forward to come closer. "You see, I have this spell to see if somebody or something is magical and I'm pretty sure that you _are _magical. However, I'm not sure about the kind of magic. Maybe it's holy magic like the Seer casts. It's quite faint." She shrugged, having spoken the last words more to herself than to Ariaen.

Ariaen blinked, then her eyes widened. "Wait a minute! How could you actually hear that? I was telling that when everybody had left the room!" A piercing look held Nathyrra's surprised gaze. "Well, I – I actually happened to stand…eh", she obviously looked for an appropriate lie, "close to the door". And when Ariaen looked at her in total disbelief she giggled, "alright, inside the room. I was inside the room, hiding in the shadows". An impish grin stole on her face when she continued, "I found it absolutely inappropriate that Valen should be allowed to overhear your discussion and I should not!".

Ariaen burst out laughing. "Thank you, Nathyrra", she said still laughing, "this could be a very important information – for me." Nathyrra looked at her satisfactory and smiled. Ariaen smiled back at her for the first time she was here.

When Ariaen met with the Seer at dinner time, only a few other people were present. Ariaen greeted them quietly and said down near Nathyrra. Nobody started to ask her questions and so she could eat in peace while listening to the conversations around her. Only when almost everybody was finished, she started to seek the eyes of the Seer, who quickly but eloquently rounded up the topic she was just discussing with an Elf who was introduced to her as Imloth, the commander of the troops, and then turned towards her smiling. "Did you make a decision, Ariaen?"

Ariaen nodded and suddenly felt half a dozen eyes on her and blushed.

"Nathyrra told me that she had found out that I'm magical", Ariaen shrugged, "though I don't know how this could be possible…and I also don't know how to use it. But maybe this means I'm no total—", she could just stop herself from saying 'loser'. She blushed in even deeper red and stammered "eh, user…eh useless, not totally useless, I mean." The Seer looked at her and nodded. "Yes, you bear the sparkle of holy magic inside yourself." She smiled at Nathyrra. "Well done, child." Nathyrra grinned back. "I can try to teach you a little about holy magic, but the way to your God – whoever it may be – you have to find for yourself."

The Seer sighed, "Does that mean you decided to help us, Ariaen?" Ariaen nodded again. "Maybe you could explain me some more about this battle and the things that have to be done beforehand?"

The Seer nodded and started to explain to Ariaen who the Valsharess was, whom they were to battle against. How she came into power and how the little group of rebels had tried to escape from her grip since a view months. "The Valsharess has a great number of allies you see, but we are only a few. That needs to be changed, if we want to have only the slighted chance against her." The Seer paused and quickly gazed at Ariaen. When she nodded the Elven woman continued. "We happen to know the whereabouts of three of her most dangerous allies. These are a horde of undead, a nest of eye-tyrants and the Illithids." When she realized that Ariaen gazed at her in total perplexion, she quickly explained what kind of creatures she was talking about. "Moreover we know about places in the surroundings, dangerous places as well, but where maybe we could find some allies ourselves."

"What kind of places are these?" Ariaen breathed deeply. "And what kind of allies?" The Seer turned towards Valen who was seated not far from her. "Valen, if you would…?"

The horned man nodded and told Ariaen about a mysterious city and the so-called 'Island of the Creator', which were both near by. He couldn't say much about the city, but according to him, the island of the Creator had once been inhabited by a powerful mage who had made Golems to protect his home. If he was still there or any of his Golems still existed, wasn't clear, but worth to find out.

Ariaen thought about all the information she'd got and finally said. "That all sounds quite dangerous…" Valen clicked his tongue. "Well yes, my Lady, it certainly is."

Ariaen looked at the Seer again. "Well, I still need some days for preparations. To learn something about my magic and", with a gaze at Imloth she continued "I also could need some basic training in hand to hand, I guess."

The Seer nodded. "Of course, you can come to me in the mornings and in the afternoons you will be trained by Valen, who is our best fighter. We will see when you are ready to leave." Ariaen's face froze and she blushed as her eyes wandered from Imloth to Valen Shadowbreath. Their gazes met and he seemed as surprised about the Seers' decision as Ariaen herself.

When Ariaen went to bed the same night, she expected to wake up at home the following morning. Only when she opened her eyes into the everlasting twilight of the Underworld, felt the rough linen under her hands and heard no birds singing, she started to believe that this wasn't actually a dream.

Ariaen wasn't in much of a good mood, when she left the temple after lunch to attend her first fighting lesson. She had learned a lot of things about magic with the Seer, but hadn't made any progress in actually casting it. The Seer told her to be patient, but Ariaen couldn't help to be awfully disappointed, since the magic was where she put all her hopes in.

Her mood did not get better, when Valen, handing her a far too heavy sword and after teaching her the basic attacks and parries in an instant, chased her up and down the training grounds, without making a secret of his opinion about her bad fighting skills. Totally exhausted she had to endure another flow of critical comments and advices, when she finally replied huffy: "I get the feeling that you don't like me." He stopped his tirade and looked at her thoughtfully. "That's not true." He said softly. "I barely know you, how could I then decide if I like you." She sighed angrily. "Oh, I got enough of that. You are insulting me and pointing out my weak spots since the first time we met. Why can't you just admit it?!" Valen was obviously astonished about what she was saying, but all he replied was: "Well, it's dangerous out there and without some basic skills in fighting you won't last long…"

"Aaaah", Ariaen squeaked and looked straight into his face. "How can somebody possibly be so…so", her heart bounced as she admitted it to herself, "damn handsome and at the same moment such a pain in the ass?!" She saw his baffled look and threw down her sword turning to leave, when his well-known emotionless voice sounded from behind her. "We are not finished with our lesson, yet."

With burning anger about his total lack of empathy, she turned again and spat: "Oh, go to hell!" She had whirled around the next second, but in the corner of her eyes had realized that something had happened. The sudden and total silence behind her, confirmed this awkward feeling. She sent a last gaze over her shoulder while trotting away and noticed that everybody stood frozen, staring at Valen, who himself had an infernal look on his face. His eyes were shining purple. Not even his tail moved. Ariaen gulped. Maybe she had gone too far somehow. However, since she couldn't think of anything better to do, she just quickened her pace, breathed in deeply as she reached the temple and shut the door behind her back.

A tentative knock at the door, woke her from her thoughts. She felt terrible and actually didn't want to see anybody. She was ashamed of herself, but couldn't help saying: "Come in". Moments later Nathyrra was inside her room, excitedly walking up and down between the walls and licking her lips several times, before starting to speak. "I heard what happened at the training grounds today. Ariaen growled. "Don't remind me." Nathyrra winked at her and let herself down in the chair in front of Ariaen's bed. "You were great", she giggled, "Only the 'hell-thing' – I would have loved to see his face, though", the Drow mused. "You must know that he's been there and from what little I know, he didn't like it much."

Ariaen said upright and looked puzzled at the Elven woman. "Been _where_?"

Nathyrra grinned. "In hell, of course."

Ariaen froze and her thoughts rushed through her mind. _He was in hell? How was that possible? Did hell really exist in this world?_ She tried to imagine what her careless saying must have meant to him and couldn't. She flung her hands in front of her eyes. "Ah, I'm such an idiot."

Ariaen didn't go down for dinner and almost didn't want to leave for breakfast as well. However, as she finally managed to convince herself that she had to, she was surprised how everything seemed so normal. She attended her magic classes with about the same success as the day before and fearfully saw her fighting class coming closer. When she finally left the lunch table, she had made up her mind and with a decisive look upon her face headed for the training grounds. Here too, everything _seemed_ normal, although Ariaen could clearly sense a certain tension when she approached. Valen was already there, waiting for her. Without a greeting or looking at her though, he gave her a sword and shifted into fighting position. Ariaen looked at the sword in her hand then looked at the face of her opponent. His eyes were clear blue again, but he looked at her with a somehow dull gaze that made her heart jump. She shook her head and lowered the sword. "Valen, could we speak for a moment?" She said with a soft voice. He looked at her a little startled, but finally went back to a normal standing position and answered, "Sure, My Lady, what is it you want to talk about?" Ariaen send a look over the training grounds while stepping some paces away from the other soldiers. She lowered her voice and said, "I – I'm very sorry for what I've said yesterday. I was tired and downhearted from the little progress I had made as well with my magic as with the sword. Even that I didn't know about the fact that you…eh", she actually hadn't wanted to let him know that she had heard something about his past by rumour, but obviously had failed miserably, "the fact about your past, I mean, doesn't excuse my words."

As she had finished and looked at Valen again, he stood without motion, saying nothing. She tried to read something in his eyes, but couldn't. However, when he finally focused on her again, she happily realized that the dullness was gone from his clear blue eyes and couldn't help, but smile. As he answered her with a smile himself she nearly had to fight for balance. _God gracious, he really _is_ handsome_, she couldn't help thinking and blushed instantly.

On the same evening they discussed about where they should go first, when they finally would start the mission. Ariaen listened to the possibilities over and over again, until she finally decided that it would be best to start with the strange city. Although they had littlest information about this place, it was the only one they weren't sure that dangerous opponents were waiting. The Seer respected her decision, since the order wasn't of importance. She also decided that Valen and Nathyrra should accompany her on her mission. In the end they agreed on starting two days later, since time was pressing and they didn't know when the Valsharess would attack.

The next day Ariaen used her spare time between the magic and the fighting training to walk around the rebel camp for the first time alone. She had been shown the black river, the gates and some buildings already by Nathyrra, but never had taken the time to really explore the place. Besides the temple there were only two other buildings, an Inn and a house inhabited by one of the Drows high-ranking families, called Maeviir. Ariaen also noticed a black smith working on a beautiful armour and weapons – all much too heavy and expensive for her, of course. Not far away she also had a look at the goods of a merchant, selling almost everything from boots, over necklaces to holy water. Each thing had its own story and especially enchantment. She couldn't stop picking something up, showing it to the seller and asking for what it did. Every new thing impressed her even more than the one before. He had rings giving extra protection, cloaks making her look more attractive and charming, gloves to increase her self-control and much more. She finally decided to stop the funny game when she realized the merchant slowly getting sick of it. With a broad smile she was already about to turn away when she noticed something hidden under a pile of daggers and other small weapons. She ignored the annoyed look of the merchant and freed it from its trunk. It was a bow and a very fine one as well, she thought. Ariaen had done bow-shooting for several years when she was a teenager, but had never seen such a beautiful bow in her live. With a knowing hand she caressed the blue coloured wood and wondered about the strange runic carvings. She smiled when memories of her membership in the bow-shooting society passed her mind. She even had won quite a few trophies back then. Ariaen showed the bow to the merchant. "How much is that?"

"Oh, that, My Lady, is not a normal bow, as you certainly already assumed, it is called 'Forever', because it can shoot flame arrows without having to be recharged. The arrows magically appear on the string, when you span it. However", he tried to reach for the bow with an arrogant look in his face. "It can only be used by an Arcane—". Ariaen who had listened carefully to the explanations of the sorcerer, reached for the string and pulled it. The last words of the merchant went under in the crackling noise, as an arrow purely made from fire appeared on the string. "It's 271347 gold pieces, my Lady", he breathed his voice filled with respect. Ariaen's eyes widened at the sight of this magical incantation and she was overwhelmed by the longing to keep it, when the immense number entered her conscience. "How much? Twohundredthousand…", she repeated coughing. Ariaen wishfully looked at the bow. "Under no circumstances I could ask the Seer for so much money." With a last sigh she laid back the weapon to the other ones and left the merchant with only a faint greeting.

The house of the Maevir she wasn't allowed to enter, so she decided to at least have a look in the tavern, before she would attend her fighting lessons. The house seemed not very big and as she entered a strange odour filled her nose. With a grimace on her face she recognized that it must be the smell of the strange Drow food, which had found its way from the nearby kitchen to the big main hall. There were only a few people – all of them Drow - sitting at tables, drinking or having conversation with another. Only one Drow woman Ariaen found to be of greater conspiciousness. She was beautiful and richly dressed and stood in the centre of concentration of a bigger group of guests. When Ariaen approached a broad smile appeared on her face, which Ariaen without greater effort unmasked as false and cunning. "Ariaen Pathfinder, I suppose?"

Still quite startled Ariaen finally left the tavern heading for the training grounds. She was still quite absent-minded during the lesson and although Valen criticised her several times, she couldn't really concentrate. Ariaen finally excused herself after having trained to her physical maximum and went to the temple for dinner. However hard she tried to stop it, her thoughts circled around the offer she'd got from Zesyyr Marviir. She found it disgusting to kill one's own mother. On the other side it was the Drow's way and Zesyyr had promised her a lot of money, which could help her buying the bow she'd seen by the merchant on the market.

The Seer obviously had recognized her total lack of interest in any conversation or planning for the next morning, where they were going to leave the camp. So, after the dinner she asked Ariaen to stay for a moment so she could talk to her. Still arguing with herself Ariaen only listened with half her concentration to what the Seer was asking, telling her nothing of what held her busy. The Seer finally recognised that she wouldn't get her to talk, when she stepped closer to Ariaen and fixed her with her eyes, while she whispered: "One shouldn't kill for fun and also not for money." Ariaen's eyes widened from the shock of realisation. She stood frozen and only after a few moments was she able to nod and with a quick greeting flew to her rooms.


	2. The lost City

Part one, Chapter 2 – The lost City

The morning came only too quick and suddenly Ariaen noticed how nervous she was. The little training she had had, didn't give her the feeling of actually being able to defend herself or do anything else that would be useful during the missions lying ahead. Sighing a lot she fought out of her bed and got dressed. Nathyrra had come to her rooms the last evening bringing her a leather armour, some good boots and some other basic gear, like potions with dozens of different functions, a torch, a bedroll, a ring of protection, like the one she had seen by the merchant the day before and a waterskin.

After having dressed and taken all her new things, she went downstairs to the dining-room, where everybody else was already waiting for her. After a quick breakfast, Valen handed her the longsword she had trained with the last days. When she took it, it only felt heavy in her hand and she didn't feel protected at all. Just as they were about to leave the Seer approached Ariaen again with a warm smile and touching her shoulders.

"Ariaen, we all thank you for what you've taken on your shoulders and for what you are still going to do for us. But before you leave I think there is something you don't want to leave behind." With these words, she nodded towards one of her servants who then stepped forward and gave Ariaen the bow she had seen the day before on the market. Ariaen's jaw fell down when she gaped at the desired peace of craftsmanship. Startled she looked at the Seer and in total disbelief stammered: "H- how did you know?"

The Seer winked at her and said. "You seem to forget that I'm a Seer." Ariaen chuckled while shaking her head still startled and then smiled broadly while taking the bow in her hands. She finally looked up at the Seer again. "Thank you, I feel saver now."

The three of them headed towards the harbour and on their way Valen warned her about the ferryman. When they arrived at the banks of the black river and Ariaen saw the big figure, hurled in a large dark cloak, she suddenly knew what Valen had meant. Despite his croaky voice and his unwillingness to tell more about himself, there was, however, nothing to complain about him. Ariaen was already used to meeting strange creatures wherever she went in this world. With a knowing hand he navigated his ship through the silent water.

Ariaen stood at the railing, her eyes closed, she was listening. After a few moments however she opened her eyes most disappointed. "It's so still around here." She mused more to herself than to her companions, but then turned around to face them. Nathyrra looked on the river and the boat and then shrugged. "It's always like this." Ariaen shut her eyes again trying to remember the noises she'd always heard when going with her father in their boat down the river at home. "Birds", she mumbled. "I miss the birds…and the leaves of the trees rustling in the wind" she sighed. "And above all I miss the sun, tickling on my nose." When she opened her eyes she got the last glimpse of a serious look that had past between Valen and Nathyrra. "What?" she asked immediately.

Nathyrra walked over to Ariaen's side looking at her a little sorrowful.

"The Underdark is a strange place for a surfacer. Many find it unnerving, even when they are prepared for it. Given the suddenness of your arrival, I wanted to know how you were feeling."

Ariaen mused for a while, before answering. "It's unsettling, but I'll be okay."

Nathyrra looked releaved. "I'm glad to hear you say that. I won't lie to you, the Underdark is a dangerous place. The creatures that fight for survival here are unlike anything you might see on a surface-world. But I want you to know that you are not alone in this, Ariaen. I will do everything in my power to help you stop the Valsharess."

"Thank you, Nathyrra." Ariaen replied happily. Shooting a quick gaze towards Valen, she added. "It's good to know I have your support."

As they finally reached the shores of the island of the strange City, the three of them where silent again. Silently they got from board and took their way to explore the island. Valen was leading, Ariaen walked in the middle and Nathyrra guarded their backs.

Ariaen was lulled into the sounds their boots made on the sand and totally off guard, when Valen suddenly leaped forward, let out a battle cry and swung the heavy war-mace which he had carried since they had left Lith My'Athar. Ariaen looked up and directly looked into the eyes of a Drow, several paces ahead, wearing a readied crossbow.

Surprise and lack of experience of real fighting situations let her stand frozen, when she felt that also Nathyrra ran past her to meet the enemy. The grip around her _Forever_ tightened and she finally realized what she had to do. She lifted her bow arm, reaching for the string, when the sudden impact of something hitting her right leg made her cry out in pain and go down to her knees. With a quick look ahead she noticed that more Drows had appeared some with crossbows, some with swords. But Valen had already reached the first ones. Directly out of his sprint he jumped into the air and was whirling around like a tornado. He dealt out hits to all three of his opponents in a split second.

Ariaen was distracted from her pain for a moment and remembered the first day she had met this man. The reply on her question about who he is rang in her ears: "I'm a fighter, a soldier. It will be hard for you to find someone more skilled with the blade." Back then she had found his statement quite arrogant, but seeing him now, she had to admit that he was right.

Since Ariaen couldn't take her eyes from the fight in front of her she suddenly saw a Drow woman appear behind the row of the enemies. The elf was shouting something angrily to her warriors, then lifted her arms in the air and…and Ariaen stopped moving, stopped breathing. When a few seconds later her heart started to beat again a great pillar of flames reached out from thin air directly above Valen.

Ariaen felt sickness and panic crawling up her spine. However, she took all her courage together and lifted her bow again. The magic string sang when Ariaen's first arrow left her shaking hand hitting a Drow who was constantly healing his companions. This gave Valen and Nathyrra the chance to kill another fighter. It was a strange feeling for Ariaen to actually hit people with her arrows, since she was only used to wooden targets. She tried not to think about it, but before she could shoot another arrow, the Drow woman had vanished and Valen and Nathyrra knocked down the rest of the enemies, being back on their way to where Ariaen had fallen.

"Are you alright, my Lady?" Valen knelled down at her side.

Ariaen looked at him in a mix of astonishment and embarrassment. There was blood sprinkled over his beautiful face. Two crossbow bolts stuck out of his armour, one on his shoulder and the other one on his leg. From both of them was dripping fresh blood. And above all hang the stench of recently burned flesh and hair. She looked down at her leg, noticing that she had only got a little scratch. Blood flushed her cheeks, realizing how wimpy she must look like. However, when she met his gaze again, there was no sarcasm in his eyes. "You… are hurt." She stammered, still confused by the fact that he didn't show any sign of pain.

Despite his repellent murmurs about _only flesh wounds_ and _nothing serious_, Ariaen insisted on treating the wounds before they got infected. At last she felt like she could do something useful, since she was actually studying to become a veterinarian.

Nathyrra had only minor injuries and therefore offered to guard their resting place, while Ariaen was looking after Valen. The Drow drank a small healing potion and sneaked away to where the enemy had come from. After a few paces the Drow melted with the shadows. _She is so good_, Ariaen thought, focusing on the path Nathyrra was supposed to take. With hard concentration she could sense her movement, but if one doesn't know that she is there…

In the meanwhile, Valen was already busy taking off his plate. He had broken the bolts to be able to remove the armour at all. When Ariaen looked at him he had just turned his back to her, letting the heavy, blood-stained mithril slide to the ground. She couldn't hide a surprised outcry when her eyes fell on his tortured skin. His back and arms were littered with scars of all forms. He stopped his movement and when he turned to face her, his eyes where cold and his mouth thin, but he didn't say a word about her reaction. Ariaen gulped and looked away, hastily rummaging in her backpack on the search for bandages.

However, she didn't see the contents of her bag at the moment and wasn't able to notice the white bandage roll for a while, before finally grapping it. Thoughts rushed trough her mind. _What had he experienced to have so many scars? Was he maybe tortured in hell, since he was supposed to have been there? And what does it mean to have been in hell? Has he been dead?_

She forced herself to look back again to finally do her job, when Valen was just about to tuck on the rest of the bolt left in his leg. He hadn't removed his gauntlet, which was stained with blood and dirt and tattered. Ariaen grapped his hand. "Don't!" she exclaimed. He stopped immediately, if surprised by the scream or by the sudden touch she wasn't sure. "You could get an infection when dirt gets into the wound. Also a small injury can become fatal then and this isn't even a _small_ injury."

He seemed to think about her words for a while. "I always wondered how this was possible", he finally murmured. Then he looked at her with sudden interest. "Are you a healer, then?" Ariaen laughed. "Well, actually I'm busy to become a veterinarian." He raised one eyebrow. "A…what?" . Ariaen realised that this word wasn't common here and started to explain: "An ani—", when she suddenly realized that it might be strange to tell that she was becoming an animal doctor, while she was treating him. People always reacted strange about that. So she just said: "Yes, a doctor. A healer, I mean."

Then she uncorked her waterskin and washed her hands. It wasn't actually the same like disinfecting, but the best she could do. She looked at the tip of the bolt sticking out his leg. At home she had watched lots of injuries of that kind. Animals were always busy stepping into spiky things and her dad was a veterinarian, too.

From the bolt that had touched her leg, she could assume that also this tips had evil barbed hooks. She would have to increase the wound even more when removing the bolt. This woman and her warriors became more and more dislikeable to her. "This will hurt." She stated looking at him. He only nodded and Ariaen pulled hard and succeeded.

She had observed him cautiously while doing her work. Valen hadn't winced or given any sound of pain. She knelled in front of him, the bolt-piece in her right hand, looking at him in total bewilderment, when his gaze met hers. "Don't you feel any pain?" She whispered still perplex. His eyes wandered from her to a spot far away, only existing inside of him, in his past. "I've experienced all kinds of pain already a million times over." He shrugged. "It's just nothing special anymore."

One tear rolled down Ariaen's cheek without her being able to stop it. She quickly turned away, wiping it off in the shadow of her cloak and hoping that he hadn't seen it. She gulped down a big lump in her throat. There was obviously much more about this strange man than what was noticeable on first sight. She was very curious to hear more about his past, but realized that this wasn't the right place and moment for it. Moreover, she wasn't even sure that he would share this information with her at all.

Ariaen treated his wounds as good as she could. Using some alcohol she found in her backpack following a sudden inspiration. When everything was bandaged she gave him a small healing potion to speed up the healing as she had seen it by Nathyrra. However, his injuries were just too heavy to get fully healed. Next time they were in Lith My'Athar she had to ask the Seer if they had stronger potions of that kind.

Before they finally continued their journey, Nathyrra was searching through the dead, picking up everything that seemed still usable. Ariaen watched her a little startled. "You are robbing the dead? Isn't that a little…um…immoral?" The Dark elf looked at her obviously surprised. "If we don't take it, somebody else will. Should we leave weapons to our enemy?" Nathyrra finally answered, then pointed at a Drow warrior right beside Ariaen. "Take his weapons and more if you like. What you cannot carry, give to Valen", she finished with a grin. Ariaen's eyes followed Nathyrra's finger.

She knelled down and looked at the dead Drow in disgust. His cold fingers were still closed around a thin, somewhat swung blade. It cost Ariaen great effort to force it free from his grip. When she finally weighted in her hand, however, it felt light and much easier to handle than the longsword she was wearing. She bowed down to the dead body again, looking through the rest of his belongings. After hesitating for only a few moments she took a dagger, a necklace and money from him.

When she got up, Ariaen looked at Valen who was just standing beside the two women without any interest for the dead. But whatever Nathyrra gave him and ordered him to carry he took without complaining once. Ariaen didn't like the way how the Drow was commanding him, but had experienced this kind of behaviour several times before in Lith My'Athar between Drow women and men. This people seemed to live in a matriarchal society, where men didn't have much to say. However, Ariaen didn't understand why Valen who wasn't a Drow did not rebel against this kind of behaviour, since he certainly was not a phlegmatic person.

Ariaen was still struggling with her four weapons when Nathyrra was already gone scouting the next part of the passage. She was determined to not use Valen the same way the Drow did, when his hand was reaching for the hilt of her longsword. He took it without a word and bundled it with the rest of the weapons from Nathyrra. Ariaen gaped at him and he said without looking up. "Take his belt. He has a sheath for the rapier and the dagger on it." Ariaen did as he said and could finally put her two new weapons away, so she could carry her bow again. When both of them were ready they followed Nathyrra who was already waiting impatiently. "It's all clear." She said.

Only a few steps later they entered a broad valley where two winged elves who called themselves the Avariel, welcomed them in their City. The creatures, though obviously beautiful and gracious in nature, were covered in dirt, looking awfully shabby. Ariaen immediately had a strange feeling about them, which was confirmed by the way they were talking in a certain illogical manner. While deciding about how to proceed, Valen whispered a warning into her ear. He too had sensed the weirdness about them and had the strong suspicion that they were enchanted somehow.

As they went on they met more of the Avariel, all acting as strange as the first two. Despite this, they found out that they were only living here since a short while and were actually coming from the surface. There sudden change of place had something to do with a broken mirror of great power. Moreover, they got to know that also somebody else had come here a few days ago, looking after the pieces of the mirror - a Drow woman, called Sabal.

Valen nodded in understanding, he had suggested that the Valsharess had sent somebody here to use the resources the place offered for herself. The three decided to search for the pieces on their own, since the mirror seemed powerful and so should not fall into the hands of the Valsharess.

One piece they got from the library, guarded by a medusa, the second they found in a pile of rubble lying around somewhere. Ariaen had taken lead in the meanwhile. As long as no enemy was to be seen she didn't mind. She was eager to solve the riddle about the mirror, because she hoped to be able to help the Avariel who were obviously here against their will, although they told something else. Ariaen had also decided that she had to overcome her fear and uncertainty, if she wanted to be of any help. When the small group reached the cave where the Avariel had said their Queen was living in, since she had left the palace, Ariaen suddenly stopped her companions.

"Look!" she whispered. "There was a group of people here not long ago." The three of them stopped and looked at the ground. Ariaen followed the tracks left behind in the dust of ages silently. "I always play hide and seek at home with Fenris. And sometimes he gets distracted by some rabbit or so and I have to find him." She chuckled.

They approached the cave, when Nathyrra asked the question forming in both of her companion's minds. "Who is this Fenris?" Ariaen suddenly raised one hand to silence her and turned around. "They are still in there. I think I recognize the voice of this Drow woman." Nathyrra who had shortly been distracted by Ariaen's sudden presentation of leadership pricked her ears and nodded. Then she sneaked to the other side of the cave, while Valen stayed at Ariaen's side. Only a few moments later they were caught in a fight with the Drow woman again, but before they could kill her, she again vanished into thin air. When the Avariel Queen told them that she had just given her piece of the mirror to Sabal, they continued their journey a little frustrated.

They encountered Sabal for one more time, before finally being able to enter the former palace of the Avariel Queen. In there even more opponents were waiting, creatures who seemed to come directly out of a sick man's nightmare. Ariaen who had got used to her new bow a little, seemed to get better in handling it quite quickly. However, the fight inside the palace walls demanded a great deal of all three of them.

At least they finally got a great number of information from the former jester of the Queen who had already made a deal with Sabal, because he wanted the pieces of the mirror. According to him putting the pieces together should break the enchantment on his people.

With already two pieces in their hands the companions quickly left to gather as much as they could, before Sabal would. They had found one more in a mage's tower, when they finally arrived at the last building being a possible hideout for another piece. It was a temple with a most uncomfortable atmosphere and the words of the only priest inside made Ariaen shiver.

He had committed himself to the goddess of sickness and torture and offered her his piece of the mirror when she would agree to pass the test of his Goddess. Ariaen trembled when she thought about what kind of test this could be and Valen adviced her not to trust this man, but kill him instead and take the piece by force. Nathyrra agreed with him. She made clear that it was far too risky for Ariaen to put herself in such danger, since she was their only hope against the Valsharess.

In the end Ariaen decided for the test. She knew that also this priest only was a victim of the enchantment lying on all his people and therefore didn't want to kill him if it was not necessary. Frowning Valen and Nathyrra accepted her choice.

Ariaen stepped in the ring four times. Every time the priest cursed her with another sickness, which made her feel more and more miserable. When she had finished the fourth fight, she was sure that it would be over, since she almost wasn't able to stand any more. She felt terribly cold and numb when she talked to the priest again.

He grinned mischievously, indulging in her pain and misery. Ariaen almost burst out into tears when he told her that she had to overcome only one more fight. Was it still not enough or had she maybe done a mistake by trusting him? She sighed deeply. "I'm ready." She breathed hard pulling the chain again that teleported her into the ring. She _knew_ that the enemy was weak, but in her condition she was even weaker.

After a moment she suddenly realized that she wasn't strong enough any more to span her bow. Her eyes widened. In panic she threw the bow down trying to unsheathe her sword and dagger, but the troll was too fast. The first hit knocked the dagger out of her hand, no chance getting it back, when already turning her head to follow his flight shot a deep pain through her head. She cried out as the second punch sent her to the floor.

When she tried to get up she saw Nathyrra holding a knife to the priest's throat commanding him to stop the test. Valen was standing outside the ring, looking at her, his face a mask of anger, his left hand baled and his right one clutched around the his mace. Then another punch hit her making sure she stayed where she was. Tears appeared in her eyes and blocked her sight. The excited noise from outside the ring faded.

Suddenly the troll transformed into a big dog that was gnarling at her and baring his teeth. Ariaen was 14 again, lying on the street, her legs bloodstained and her eyes wide open, looking horrified at the big dog's muzzle that was about to become her entrance to heaven. With last effort she screamed for her guardian and friend to help her. "FENRIS!" she yelled, before everything turned black.

Ariaen woke up from a warm tongue licking her face. She smiled, her eyes still closed. "Fenris" She giggled. "Stop it. Stop it, it tickles." Still giggling she was opening her eyes, only to look into Nathyrra's sorrowful face. With painful clearance she remembered where she was and what had happened, when a wet dog's tongue licked across her face again. She winced and then with sudden realization, looked into the familiar clear blue eyes of Fenris, her wolf-Husky, in total bewilderment. "Wha- how…how did you come here?", she whispered trying to fling her hands around the beloved dogs head when the pain arising in her head reminded her of her condition.

Her hands caressing the soft fur of Fenris, her eyes were searching for the priest who had promised to take the curse from her after she had passed the last test. She found the priest lying on the floor just a few steps ahead. A little read mark was colouring his pale throat. "Oh no! Did you kill him?" She cried out looking back at Nathyrra. The Drow woman's face hardened as she hissed: "No, he's just unconscious."

"It has cost her a lot of effort." Valen added looking at his Drow companion.

"Take this!" Nathyrra commanded and gave her one of the healing phials. "I will wake the priest.

Ariaen emptied the potion and focused back on her dog, praising him many times over for helping her, as Valen asked gently: "Why did you not just kill him?" Ariaen looked at him and blinked. She had seen quite a few faces of this man already, but there was yet another, a curious, thoughtful and soft one. "He's just enchanted. He doesn't deserve death for what he is doing here." Valen only continued to look at her, then after a short while nodded brooding.

When the priest woke up, he wasn't annoyed at all. Without hesitation he wove the curing spell on Ariaen and gave the promised piece of the mirror to her as well. After treating Ariaen's and Fenris' wounds the now four companions went back to the palace to face the jester and Sabal. Ariaen still wondered how it was possible for Fenris to have come into this world.

However, after Nathyrra had explained what had happened, they agreed that Ariaen had been able to call him for help out of necessity. Having her friend by her side made Ariaen feel saver and much more light-hearted than before. It also gave her the right motivation in the battle against the Drow mage. One arrow after another hit the opponents who were attacking Fenris and in the end the four prevailed. The mirror was restored and the enchantment broken. Happily they saw the Avariel return to their former homes, leaving the magical mirror with Ariaen.

They had stayed in this City for two days and one night, where she had slept like a baby from all the uncommon exhaustion. Now as everything had turned out to the better, Ariaen could suddenly find no sleep. She woke up every other minute having dreamt about terrifying monsters, piles of corpses and many more horrors she luckily didn't quite remember.

When she finally gave up trying it was still pitch black. She walked over to the still glowing camp-fire, only to find Valen sitting there as well, watching her approach. She gave him a shy and insecure smile not knowing what to say. As he wasn't showing any response she took a seat opposite him, warming her hands on the glowing wood.

They sat there for while, without saying anything, when his words suddenly cut through the silence, though being nothing more than a whisper: "What is it that makes you so special?" Ariaen lifted her head to gaze at him in surprise. She winced back a little when the piercing look out of his deep blue eyes almost pinned her to ground. "Wha..what do you mean?" She stammered. "I'm obviously talking about the fact that you are the new leader of the troops, that you replaced me. I kept them alive since months. And then you come and…," he waved his arm in front of his body like wiping something away, "and everything is over!"

Ariaen blinked several times trying to handle what he just said. _Is this the reason why he behaves so repelling towards me, because he feels replaced?_ _And what did he mean with 'leading the troops'? Like 'lead into a battle'?_ Ariaen became scared, but tried to fight the feeling down, concentrating on his question. "I'm only here, because the Seer thinks that I can somehow win the battle." She shrugged helplessly. _How the hell should I know why and how? _

It took a while until Valen answered again, this time he was not looking at her. His voice was full of worries. "The Seer believes in what she believes. Her Goddess commands and she obeys, without hesitation. That worked very well…at least so far." Ariaen nodded. "I understand. You don't believe in her visions." But he was shaking his head. "I believe that she _has_ visions. I also believe her visions are coming from her Goddess. However, I'm a creature of the planes. I don't believe that Gods are infallible." He paused for a moment and thoughts were whirling around Ariaen's head again. _'A creature of the planes.' What the hell does that mean again?_

But she didn't have enough time to find an answer before he continued. She didn't understand most of the notions and conclusions that followed. But when in the end he stated that he just didn't trust her and suspected her to betray them all, she felt the words harder than a blow from his mace. She gulped, unable to reply something immediately. She felt like having just lost a companion and instead gained an enemy.

When he got up to move away she finally responded in a breathless tone: "I thought you wanted to help me?" He paused and with the same cold voice as before he said: "That's what I promised to do. But I intend to watch you carefully, as well."

It took a while until Ariaen went back to her sleeping bag again, covering herself right unto the nose. She suddenly felt lonely and lost. She actually didn't know this world, didn't know these people, and what in the beginning had liked to be exciting and adventurous had now become confusing and dispiriting. She cuddled herself closer to Fenris who had watched her the whole time with one open eye. Burying her face in his thick fur she wept herself into another uneasy doze for the last few hours before the next morning.



Their second journey on the black river started as silent as the first one had ended. Nathyrra was standing at the prow her eyes gazing upwards, an absent smile on her face. She looked like she was watching the most beautiful sunrise existing only in her head. She was obviously dreaming about things she her companions weren't supposed to know. So, Ariaen did not want to disturb her.

Following a sudden urge to communicate Ariaen approached Valen who was looking into the depth of the black river rather motionless. Since she couldn't think of any interesting question that was superficial enough not to rise his anger or suspicion, she just asked the first thing that entered her mind: "What do the Drow think about your…eh qualities as a leader?" He turned towards her very slowly, taking a moment before answering. "Those who follow the Seer accepted me quite easily. The others…they despise every creature that is not Drow. I'm no exception."

Ariaen nodded. She also had made the experience when wandering around in Lith My'Athar that there where different groups struggling against each other. Some had been very friendly towards her, some had looked at her like an annoying intruder. She also remembered the fact that the Drow lived in matriarchy and Valen was obviously a man. She couldn't hide a faint smile when thinking about the troubles he must have had.

"This must have made it a lot more difficult", she said as serious as possible. "It was, in the beginning." He answered with a faint smile himself. "But I have a special…method of even convincing the Drow to follow my orders. Actually, I think I would never have managed to hold my ground as a leader without the demon's blood inside my veins." He suddenly stopped talking like having realized a mistake and looked straight at Ariaen. "You…you know what a tiefling is, don't you?" The obvious bewilderment on her face was answer enough, but he still waited for her to react.

_A 'tiefling'? Nathyrra had used this term way back in the temple. So, that's what it meant? He wasn't only some human with horns and a tail. He was__ what? Part demon? Did not only hell exist in this place, but demons as well?_

She finally shook her head. "No…not really."

He sighed and continued. "My mother gave birth to a child from a creature we call _cambion_…a half human, half demon. That makes me part demon as well." His eyes looked worried. "Does that bother you?" Ariaen had followed his explanations gaping. This world was so…"Fascinating", she breathed. "I mean", she blushed a little as she realized how sheepish she must have looked like. "It's fascinating." Now, Valen looked surprised at Ariaen.

That was obviously an answer he hadn't expected. After a short while he smiled gently. "You are… fascinating as well, my Lady." This on the other hand was an answer Ariaen hadn't expected. They both looked at each other in amazement for a while. When Ariaen felt the blush coming up her cheeks she was relieved as he lowered his eyes. "Where was I? Oh yes…" Valen cleared his throat and summed his story up. "The Drow respected my infernal part. My rage seems frightening for many people, and they didn't have to experience much of it, before it got round."

Ariaen only nodded and they both focused on their own thoughts again.


	3. The Isle of the Creator

**I just realized that there was this Chapter missing and instead the fourth was double. Sorry, for the stupid mistake. And thanks for the nice reviews which made me check on the story again. I really feel like continuing it, but I don't know if I have the time, since I would have to install the game again etc...anyway...there's still hope ^^ - and your reviews make me enthusiastic again :D**

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Chapter 3 – The Isle of the Creator

They didn't want to take much time in Lith My'Athar, so they agreed on sharing the tasks. Ariaen would meet with the Seer, giving her the mirror they had gotten. Meanwhile Valen would get new supplies from the temple and Nathyrra from the merchants around the camp.

They met a few hours later in the temple, having a word with the Seer and gaining healing from her. The sun had only just climbed over the zenith, when they left again for the Isle of the Creator.

Leaving the boat, Ariaen overheard a conversation between Nathyrra and Valen. It made clear to her that they both had joined the Seer, because of some devils of the past. They both felt rescued by the Seer, though Ariaen did not understand from what.

This time they were more cautious. Nathyrra took lead and scouted about 5 to 10 paces ahead of her companions. The only one they met, however, was a group of duergar mercenaries. It was clear from the beginning that they had to be handled with caution, but at least they didn't attack the four at once. Her leader, an imposing female who called herself Dahanna gave them even more information about the sorcerer's lair. She didn't know if the magican was still alive, but she knew that lots of his creatures were, since they had already killed quite a few of her people. Ariaen felt very uncomfortable in the presence of those small, dark fighters. She didn't trust their friendliness and the three of her companions obviously agreed with her. Once they had entered the lair, Nathyrra told Ariaen that duergars were unreliable creatures and that lots of their kind fought for the Valsharess.

After having been only a little while in the lair, the four of them were nearly exhausted to death. All of them had several wounds, their potion supply was becoming short again and they hadn't even gotten the chance to explore the back area of the place, yet. With last effort they had managed to strike down another group of golems when trying to enter a new room, slamming the door shut behind them.

They hoped this would keep the repair golem away. This was a strange, meagre creature who was constantly roaming the corridors, repairing his fellows, which they had struck down in troublesome effort. They knew now why so many of the duergars who actually seemed quite capable in defending themselves had been killed in here. Valen was guarding the door. Nathyrra treated a bad wound on her leg, while Ariaen forced a healing potion between Fenris' teeth telling him that he would feel better afterwards. She was quite worried, since her dog had taken some very evil blows. He lay down to sleep for while after drinking the liquid finally. Ariaen stood up with a sigh. Since she was always attacking from a distance she only had minor injuries. She shot a quick gaze at Valen. He had drunken a potion as well, but was still far from being healed completely. Ariaen was too exhausted to start an argument with him again and so looked through the room instead. It had formerly been a library, so it seemed to her. She found lots of book shelves, most of the books, however, were too old and almost fell apart in her hands. Only two of them actually survived the procedure of being taken out of the shelf and laid down on a writer's desk nearby. The first one was very heavy. It was bound between two metal plates richly ornamented. The other one was bound in leather, but had been covered with a fabric for additional protection. When Ariaen had deciphered the contents, it made her cry out with enthusiasm. "Look at this! I think I found something useful." Nathyrra and Valen looked at her wearily, then the tiefling nodded and went over to Ariaen, while Nathyrra continued with her bandages.

"Look at this!" She said again, turning the book into Valen's direction. "And here!" She covered the first book with the second one, letting him actually no chance to read at all. This, however, wasn't necessary, since the tiefling narrowed his eyes, knocked the books back into their original position and replied in a toneless voice: "I cannot read." Ariaen looked at him in surprise, but then a certain business overcame her that made the fatigue vanish in an instant. The book, she explained to him, gave information over how to handle the golems. Their master had obviously invented some artefacts to control, destroy or weaken them. Although they hadn't found an artefact, yet, the book gave detailed information about how to produce them. She bent down to rummage in her backpack. "Here, the coloured powder we found in the other rooms and these strange objects." She held up several small pouches and added two statues and an orb. "They are all mentioned in the book. The only thing we have to do is find his laboratory." Now also Nathyrra showed interest in the conversation and approached them. Valen was still frowning, he was not convinced. "These golems are very grim opponents. If there are much more of them…" He didn't finish the sentence, but suddenly looked deep into Ariaen's eyes. "Are you sure that we can take them, Ariaen?" Ariaen gulped under the critical, but worrying look he gave her. Her heart was pounding deep in her throat. It was the first time he had called her by her name or at least the name she had taken, since she was here. She felt a blush coming up her cheeks, but fought it down. Her face took a determined expression. "I didn't say it would be easy. But by the help of this", she pointed at the books again, "I think we can deal with them."

"Are you sure, Ariaen?" Nathyrra's voice suddenly sounded very worried as well. "You are our only hope. I cannot allow that something is happening to you. Please, promise me that you will be careful!"

Ariaen nodded and the three of them decided to rest in the library until the next morning.

It was still very early when they broke off their camp. All four of them felt the tension of a risky venture lying ahead of them. They had to take down a few more golems, but found a laboratory only two doors deeper in the lair. Ariaen didn't have any experience in alchemy, but tried to remember what knowledge the Seer had taught her about using magic items. Before they left for the corridors again they agreed that Ariaen should try to use the golem weakener and destroyer on the first creature they would encounter. Then they would wait for the repair golem several paces away and place the golem lure. Proceeding in this manner they managed to reach the central room of the place. Again they shut the door behind them and took some rest. Ariaen was very pleased with herself. Her plan had worked out and only because of this had they come so far. Moreover, when everybody's spirit had been down, she was the one to motivate them and keep them going. She had the feeling that she had grown beyond herself, had found an inner strength she had not known about before.

Exploring the room they found out that it was some kind of control centre, harbouring a strange machine that reminded Ariaen faintly of a computer. Playing around a little with the buttons she found out that it was a way to summon special types of golems into the room and destroy them. By the help of this machine they managed not only to kill the repair golem, but also another rather impressive looking one that guarded the stairs to the second floor.

Down in the next floor they found two different groups of golems who were surprisingly intelligent and fighting each other, because of some energy source. The group of flesh golems, led by an ugly creature called Aghaz, possessed this energy source. With it they forced the others to stay on the island, because without being close to it, so the leader of the silver golems explained, they would soon become as stupid as there fellows in the upper floor. Ferron, the leader of the silver golems, promised the four companions to help them in the fight against the Valsharess if they would get the energy source from his opponent. Although Aghaz promised the same thing they decided to help the silver golems, since they seemed much more reliable and friendly than the others. After having done so, the four decided on proceeding deeper into the dungeon, since they did not know yet, if the master of the golems was still alive. According to Ferron he had left his servants about 500 years ago and hadn't come back since then.

Before going down into the sorcerer's sanctuary however, the companions wanted to clear out the floor they were on first. So, they stopped again in front of a locked door, where they had been before, but hadn't been able to open it. They knew it held a dangerous trap. Since it was too difficult for Valen to pick, he had tried to slam it in, but had been knocked down by an enormous lightning that had jumped from him over to his companions. Nathyrra had then tried to remove the obviously magic trap from the door, but had failed as well on its high complexity. While Valen and Nathyrra stood arguing again, Ariaen had observed a rat running around the area which had suddenly vanished into a little hole that obviously led to the room on the other side. She knelled down to examine the hole. She had just found out that it was even too small to put her hand through, when the rat returned. Ariaen didn't move in order to make the little critter not afraid. The rat approached sniffling, tickling Ariaen's hand with her whiskers. She chuckled, but kept motionless, when suddenly a flow of blurry pictures entered her mind. She could see a small pile of garbage and rubble that felt secure and familiar to her, like home. Then she saw a lever not very far from her little mould. Ariaen realized that she must somehow have managed to make contact with the rat which's nest she was seeing. She concentrated on the lever and tried to deliver the thoughts of how urgent it was to move it. The rat suddenly crawled away in a hurry, back through the hole. Ariaen got up, still captured by the weird experience, joined her friends and said. "I'm not sure, but I think I just told that rat to—" She was interrupted when the door opened wide with a loud creak. "…open the door", she finished and Valen and Nathyrra were looking at her in bewilderment an awe.

Behind the door they found a ghost who told them that he had once been the assistant of the Creator. Because he was afraid to be betrayed the magician had locked him into this room, leaving him in eternal despair. He promised to tell them the password to the Creator's sanctuary, if they would help him to escape. They agreed on it and as it was done, Ariaen left the former cell humming. She had not only helped a lost soul, but also managed to communicate with an animal which had helped them in a hopeless situation. She didn't know where this would lead to: knowing magic, calling Fenris, talking to animals, but she liked it. Liked the freedom and potency it held for her.

When they finally met the Creator who was not a living being any more, but a fleshless spirit of total madness, the encounter was different to what they had expected. In the end they had to battle the lunatic rests of the still powerful mage, who suddenly attacked them. After this final fight they suddenly felt the tiredness of the day in all parts of their body and without taking notice of the treasures within the room lay down to rest.

Nathyrra woke Ariaen the next morning. "Let's have a look through this mad man's things! We deserve it." She said with a whimsical smile. Ariaen nodded enthusiastically and Nathyrra got up to search the room. Ariaen stretched, yawned and got up to follow the Drow when suddenly a hand reached out for her arm from behind and kept her from going. Turning around she saw Valen with an expression on his face that showed the insecurity behind his angry look.

"I would like to speak about the Seer", he said in a low voice. Ariaen sighed.

"Why? Do you still think that I will betray her?"

She couldn't help letting a little cynicism resonate in her voice. She was still mad about what he had said the other day. He let her arm go and without reacting on her provocative tone, continued: "Maybe. But I think you should know how much the Seer means to me…and everybody who follows her. I will protect them whatever the cost." He paused to gaze at her, but she was looking away. "I'm not sure how much you know about the planes, Ariaen." Hearing her name out of his mouth again, she turned back. "Probably not very much, which means you also don't know what the blood wars are, I guess?" Ariaen frowned. _The_ _planes?_ _Blood wars?_ Of course, she didn't have the slightest clue. Had he still not understood that she knew nothing about his world? She shrugged in confusion and despair. "You are right. I don't know what you are talking about." He nodded and continued. "The blood wars are the armed hostilities between the demons of the Abyss and the devils of the Baatezu, which already last for generations. We've already fought so many, bloody battles that the war continues in our veins now." He sighed and continued with a despairing tone: "There's only little hope for a final victory. Actually, only one battle after another is fought when devils and demons encounter another. It is an endless circle of rage and bloodshed."

What he just had said sounded terrible in Ariaen's ears and all her angriness melted away in a moment. She didn't feel able to say anything, but only wanted him to go on. "I was…recruited for the war." He continued and suddenly his gaze drifted away while his face took on an agonizing expression. "For years I fought in the outer planes. I was no real soldier...rather some wild animal." Ariaen gulped. She felt her heart cramp at what he said and the emotions of this bad memory that obviously spoke out of his clear blue eyes. She felt the urge to touch him, to comfort him, but fought it down, because she feared his reaction. Her voice was only a breath when she said: "I'm very sorry. That sounds horrible." Valen looked back at her and tried to smile gratefully. "Thank you, my Lady. I try not to think about this life anymore, but back then it was all I knew." Ariaen realized that this was finally the chance she had waited for to get to know more about his past. She didn't want to waste it. So, she asked and he answered willingly telling her about the fact that he hadn't had a choice. He had been taken prisoner by a demon of the Abyss (so not hell as she had heard) after having fled from the blood wars his whole youth. His demonic master had sent him into one battle after another where he only fought to stay alive. He didn't even know how long he had lived or rather existed that way gaining pleasure in killing without thinking about it. Time had been of no importance back then.

Ariaen felt magnetized by his tale and although horror and shock overcame her she couldn't stop herself from digging deeper into his dreadful past. So he also told her that once they he had been summoned by a Drow priest to kill the Seer, but when he had faced her she had looked right into his soul. When he came back to the Abyss he had met her in his dreams and eventually, since decades it seemed, remembered the life he once had, before the fighting. Although his master, sensing his inner troubles, had tortured him for how long he did not know, he had finally managed to escape his grip and found the Seer. She had healed him and offered him help. When he finished with the words: "She rescued me in every possible way", Ariaen had to avert her eyes, since she couldn't fight the tears back any longer. When she didn't say anything, he added: "I thought it necessary to tell you this, so you know how much the Seer means to me. I would never betray her…or let somebody else betray her." Ariaen still fought for composure when he triggered this hot topic again. However, she couldn't be angry with him for the moment and so nodded in understanding. Her voice was throaty when she almost pleaded: "I will not betray anybody, Valen. You have to trust me." He grimaced while seeming to fight his suspicions. "I'm sorry. I don't want to imply anything. I just wanted you to know." He then suddenly turned away busying himself with preparing breakfast.

At little later than expected Ariaen joined the Drow by her search through the room. The most shelves and trunks she had already turned inside out. However, Ariaen was not very interested in this kind of business right now and so didn't show much enthusiasm for the things which piled up in the middle of the big room. Still musing about her conversation with Valen and trying to order all the things he had just said, she started in another corner. Absent-mindedly she opened a small casket, taking out a magic wand. The Seer had taught her that a wand mostly showed some ornamentation or decoration that gave a hint about its abilities. On the edge of her mind she realized that the top of it was formed like a boar's head. A little smile went over her face when she used the wand without thinking about it. A pillar of magic cut through the air as a boar appeared in a summoning circle right beside Ariaen. Only when the animal came closer and looked at its master to wait for orders, she realized what she had done. She woke from her daydreams, blushing as she looked in the bewildered faces of her companions and the same moment noticing that something else was not right. Only a little while later she realized what it was: Fenris was gone. Her eyes widened in panic when her eyes searched the room again. "Fenris!" she shouted, but there was no answering sound. Nathyrra was the first to notice her distress and said in a calm chuckling voice: "You can only control one creature at once, Ariaen. Didn't you know?" Ariaen blinked at her in perplexion. "Control?" she asked back sheepishly. "But…did I control Fenris?" Nathyrra shrugged. "You obviously called him from the place you came from. So, you controlled him. As far as I know beastmasters can call and release their animal companions on their wish, but limited in time." Ariaen nodded still a little baffled. She then turned towards the boar, waved her hand and said: "You can leave." The boar looked at her, then came closer and licked her outstretched hand. Ariaen gazed up in surprise when Valen suddenly burst out into a hearty laughter. His eyes were sparkling, focused towards her and the animal. "You seem to be a fine beastmaster. Even wild animals would eat out of your hands." Ariaen chuckled, but suddenly remembered the fact that he had called himself a wild animal during their talk. Picturing Valen eating out of her hands she blushed unto the tips of her ears and only prayed that nobody could read her thoughts – you never knew around these strange people.

The boar vanished only moments later and Ariaen had decided not to call for Fenris again, immediately. One part of her was anxious to find out that she couldn't, the other part just wanted to spare him the weird experience as long as possible.

When they finally left for the first floor again, they were heavily loaded with all kinds of things they had found in the dungeon: weapons, armours, jewellery, gold and much more.

They were high in spirit, weapons sheathed when they left the Sorcerer's lair. However, they only made it about two steps away from the door when Dahanna walked out of the shadows a smirky smile on her face. In the corner of her eyes Ariaen sensed the presence of the other dark fighters, weapons ready. Ariaen's head flew to her left side and met Valen's stern and resolved gaze as the duergar began to speak. She wanted money. Ariaen sighed and tried to catch a glimpse at Nathyrra's face. The Drow's look was piercing. Her swords were in her hands already. So it was decided and moments later the three were the only living beings leaving the battle field.

Ariaen wanted to stay at least the following night in Lith My'Athar. She wanted to get some rest in a soft bed again and some hot food, but especially she wanted to celebrate the achievements they had made. She urged Nathyrra and Valen to come with her to the tavern to amuse themselves. It was difficult to find a bard or at least someone who could play an instrument amongst the Drow, but she finally found one. The music wasn't really what she was used to, but it made her feel much better to hear some sweet sounds and sung words, though she did not understand them. However, only after a short while she had to admit that a tavern full of Drow was not the perfect place to throw a party. The musician quickly lost his interest when he got some irritated looks from a bunch of females near by. At least a small group of followers of Eilistraee joined them, but since nobody was very enthusiastic about the jokes Ariaen made, Nathyrra and they were soon deeply involved in a religious discussion.

Ariaen played with her empty beaker, sneaking a peek on Valen who looked most uncomfortable in these surroundings. He was vaguely listening to the conversation, his eyes roaming the hall critically. Ariaen bend forward to catch his attention. "Yes, my Lady?" Ariaen smiled. "Let's talk a minute." "Talk?", he seemed to be affronted and looked at her puzzled. "What do you want to talk about?" Ariaen shrugged. "How about your time in the Abyss?" Now Valen bent closer, too, his metal bracers clanging on the wooden table. "You want me to talk about the time of my battles? Why would that be?" Ariaen caught a glimpse into Valen's clear blue eyes. He looked at her with sudden interest. "I'm curious. I find your past very….thrilling." He obviously thought about what she had said for a moment then shrugged. "If it pleases you, my Lady, I will tell one or two stories. Just ask what you want to know."

Absent-mindedly, Ariaen put one finger to her lips while musing about a proper question. Although there were many things popping up in her mind, she was actually looking for a topic that would bring out some good memories. Until now he had only told her about rather horrible incidents. Suddenly her face enlightened. "What did you actually do before you were captured?" He sighed and leaned back again. "I was a young lad roaming the streets of Sigil, if you must know. An orphan since my mother had died and a thief if I wasn't caught." Ariaen's eyes widened. "How…how did your mother die?" His eyes took on a mournful expression. "She was killed by a client. That's at least what they said." Ariaen bit her lips. She didn't understand what he meant by "killed by a client", important was only _that_ she had been killed. She sighed deeply. _Were there no good memories at all going with this man?_ She lowered her eyes. "I'm very sorry." "Thank you, Ariaen. But we weren't actually very close to one another. I can't almost remember her. However, I don't wish anyone a death like hers." He paused for a moment, before he continued. "My mother worked for a…very greedy and egoistical female demon. I'm sure that she had her killed, because my mother couldn't work for about a month since she was ill." Ariaen decided to skip this topic and rather concentrate on something he had mentioned earlier. "So, you've been a thief?" He nodded. "Yes, that's true. But it's long ago. I didn't keep the skills of those times. However, back then I was the best pickpocket of the spawn."

"You certainly did what you had to." Ariaen replied understandingly. He looked up at her and nodded again. "Sigil knows no mercy – not even for children. I was only one of hundreds who were starving and always living on the edge." Ariaen's look became contemplating. "What's this 'Sigil'? I've never heard about it." Valen looked at her and grinned. "Sigil is the most famous town of the planes. She is also sometimes called the City of Doors. All creatures of the planes have once visited her."

Ariaen couldn't help but smile. Her eyes wandered over his face. He looked so handsome with this grin on his face she could almost see the cunning boy he once had been, behind his features. "Have there been many like you then?"

His grin became fierce and his eyes absent. "The armies of the Abyss are a legion. There existed more warriors with the same story than there are grains of sand. But only a few survived it." Ariaen blinked. "How come that you survived then?" Valen cocked one eyebrow while thinking about her question. "To be honest, I don't know. Times came when I was longing to die, times when I was trying to die. But, I just didn't."

"Well, I'm glad that you are here." Ariaen muttered, looking at him shyly. He kept her gaze and smiled bashfully. "Thank you, my Lady. You are very…nice." They sat there looking into each others eyes for several heartbeats that felt like hours for Ariaen. Finally she gulped and the words bubbled out of her mouth, before she could stop them. "Have you ever been in love?" The shock that showed in his eyes woke her from her day-dreams. "That…that is a very personal question, my Lady." Ariaen felt the blood coming up her cheeks and lowered her head quickly. She clinched her teeth. _Stupid idiot! How could you ask such a question?_ Then as calm as possible she said: "You don't have to answer it if you don't want to." She felt like never having the guts to look into his face again. In the long pause that followed, the blood that rushed through her head was all Ariaen heard. Her heart almost leaped out of her chest when he finally replied in a soft voice. "Yes. I was. Once." She noticed that he looked at her, but still kept her eyes low. "She died." He finally added and her head flipped upward, her eyes wide with shock. "I'm very sorry." She whispered, already the second time during only a few minutes as she noticed. The agony of this cruel memory was obvious in his voice when he told her about his love and that she had been killed by his master to cause him pain. Ariaen bit her lip, curiosity and bashfulness battling within her mind. "And since then there…there was no other?" Stiffly she sat on her chair. _Did I really ask that?_ Valen only smiled gently. He was not looking at her but rather picturing something in his mind. "No. Not since that day. I…I continued with my life, but there was no other since then." He finally sighed deeply. "If we could maybe change the topic, I'd appreciate that." Ariaen nodded, but they didn't. None of them came up with something else and a few minutes later Valen got up. "I'll go now, my Lady. There's a tough day lying ahead of us." Ariaen wanted to say something to hold him back, but couldn't come up with the right words. When she eventually opened her mouth, he had already wished her a good night and turned around. "Good night", she muttered.

"Ariaen Pathfinder", a well-known, smug voice raised her from her musing. "There you are again. Did you think about my offer? Are you ready to kill my mother, so I can become the head of the House of Maeviir?" Ariaen winced back when she was reminded on this subject again. Her face showed disgust. "I…I don't think so. I don't think I could become part of such a horrible crime." Zesyyr curled her lips she couldn't fully hide the disappointment and aversion she felt herself, any longer. "Come back if you changed your mind", she snatched and turned on her heels. Ariaen suddenly felt the need to leave this place. She grapped the _Forever_ leaning next to her on the table and without a word towards Nathyrra went back to the temple.

She sneaked up the stairs to the quarters. When she was passing Valen's door she stopped for a moment, harking. She concentrated hard, but couldn't hear any sound coming from the room behind the door. Sighing, she went on, entered her room, got undressed and into her bed.

This night Ariaen had strange dreams. In the first one she was a female marten caring for several offspring. She cared for their life and protection. One day when they were far away from their mould, one of her offspring hurt its foot and was not able to run any more. So, she buried her teeth in its warm flesh and killed it. Only moments later a big boar detected them. Together with her remaining offspring she ran for their hide-out. The boar chased them hard, but they were faster and so made it to the hole, before it could catch only one of them.

The second dream Ariaen didn't took part in, but rather watched a pack of wolves from an outside perspective like in a movie. The pack had been encircled and already decreased in number by a group of hunters. The Alpha dog was old and weak and could not come to a proper decision. There one of his offspring challenged and killed him. The offspring was young and strong. It took the loss of a few more pack members, but with power and determination managed to break through the hunter's circle and rescued the last of its pack.

Ariaen awoke breathing heavily. Sweat stood on her forehead. She didn't hesitate long, but stepped out of her bed and got dressed. When she came down to the temple, Valen and Nathyrra were already waiting. They both frowned at the determined look in her face. "Do you feel quite well, Ariaen?" Nathyrra asked. "Are you ready to leave?" Ariaen shook her head. "I have to do something before we leave, but…," she looked at her companions. "I would rather have you with me."

Few minutes later they were back in the tavern. Ariaen didn't wait for Zesyyr to state her offer again, but cut her words. "What do I have to do?" Zesyyr raised one eyebrow feeling insulted and impressed at one time. She explained Ariaen how she would be able to get close to her mother. In the end she gave her a ring that would mark her as accomplice for the guards. Ariaen nodded and left the tavern to go straight to the house of Maeviir, when she felt Valen's hand closing around her arm in a firmly grip. His eyes were narrowed and his face showed disgust. "In my veins flows the infernal blood of a demon, but the deeds the Drow are ready for still lets it freeze from time to time. Are you sure about what you are doing, Ariaen?" Nathyrra's gaze showed the same worries. Ariaen broke free from his grip. "I don't like it either, but…" She remembered her dreams. She was sure that's what they wanted to tell her. _Sometimes you have to kill one in order to rescue the rest. _"But I'm certain that this is the right, no, the only way." Her companions nodded and they continued their mission.

It wasn't very difficult to kill Zesyyr's mother, but the blood still left a stain on Ariaen's hands.


	4. Outside the Gates

Chapter 4 – Outside the Gates

When they came back to the temple the Seer had obviously already heard about what had happened. She wasn't very happy about it. When Ariaen gave her the same explanation like her companions the Seer looked deep into her eyes and then nodded slowly.

Finally, the three shouldered their packs ready to leave for the next mission. Nathyrra smiled at Ariaen handing her a beautiful necklace. "Here, I thought you could need some more protection, since this leather armour doesn't hold any enchantments." Ariaen looked at her startled, then touched her neck and showed her the necklace she was already wearing. "I already have one." She said. Nathyrra frowned, looking at the unknown jewellery. It was a pendant decorated with gemstones hanging on a golden chain. "What does it do? I've never seen something like that before." Ariaen laughed. "Well, I guess it _does_ nothing. It's an heirloom of my mother's. It's very old. Actually, it's the only thing I still possess since I'm here." Nathyrra took hold of the pendant, closed her eyes and concentrated. When she opened her eyes again, she said thoughtfully. "Strange. This necklace _is_ magical. However, it would take me a little longer to analyse the spell on it. Could I have another look on it during our next rest?" Ariaen looked at the pendant then gaped at Nathyrra. "Eh…certainly."

It was the first time Ariaen left Lith My'Athar through its heavy gates. Outside it was dark and silent as well and the more paces they brought between themselves and the City the heavier Ariaen felt the burden of the rocky surroundings lying on her shoulders. Roaming through a house or a cellar it was normal to be surrounded by rocks and walls, but out in the open, this was something totally different. The same feeling like when she was on the boat the first time overcame her. A feeling of walking the lands of the dead, where no bird sang, no rain fell and no sun shone. It gave her the creeps and in order to penetrate the heavy silence she started to hum a tune. "Ssh!" Nathyrra immediately was on her side looking serious. "The Underworld is a very dangerous place. We don't know where our next enemy is luring, but we should leave this disadvantage for both sides." Ariaen turned purple suddenly recognizing her foolish behaviour. "Sorry", she whispered and followed the Drow silently.

After having followed and killed a Drow ranger who had spied on them, they finally reached the entrance to a cave which they thought to be the origin of the undead. To their surprise they found a sign in front of the cave, reading _Drearing's Deep_. Most astonished the three entered the cave cautiously and soon got the explanation they had wanted. _Drearing's Deep_ obviously was a hiding place for former slaves and other run-away. However, they weren't as free as they wanted to, since even here a new tyrant had taken over. The small village was governed by an Arch-priest with the name of Armand who worshipped Vix'tra, some weird God who obviously demanded human sacrifices from time to time. Since there was no other way into the temple than sounding the gong and offering oneself as sacrifice, they agreed on doing the very same. When the temple guards wanted to disarm Ariaen, Valen and Nathyrra dashed through the still open gates and the three of them took them down in an instant. After having searched the whole temple, fighting against followers of Vix'tra and undead monsters now and then, they found a hole leading deep into the earth beneath the building. A certain smell of death and gore came from down the hole that made Ariaen feel sick. Left with no other option, they took a robe and descended into the dark. There they found out more over the place. The cellar of the temple was a lair of vampires and also the High priest Armand was one of them. When they sacrificed people from the village the vampires took their blood, while their bodies were left for Vix'tra. To produce undead for the Valsharess, however, they had used the blood of an angel called Levora. She called herself a 'Deva', which according to Valen was a quite powerful angel. They managed to rescue Levora, a young woman of holy graze and most likeable in her ideas. Although with Levora they had gained additional help against Vix'tra, Ariaen didn't feel very confident, when she thought about battling a God.

"If Armand tried to defend this cave so eagerly, it will most certainly be the vault of his God", Ariaen whispered towards her companions. Levora began to chant spells and Ariaen blinked in bewilderment when she suddenly felt stronger, her spirits raised and her bow lay more easily in her hand. She smiled at the angel. How relieving. _There exist devils and demons, but angels exist as well. _With a determined look on their faces the four proceeded into the following cavern. But what they encountered was worse than any of them had suspected. In the middle of the huge cavern lay an enormous dragon skeleton. The moment they entered it woke up and yelled a frightening battle cry towards them. Without hesitation Valen broke from the group, tightly gripping the hilt of his war mace. "Into the flames we leap!" He answered the cry of the undead dragon. Ariaen's heart sank as she saw the actually big form of the tiefling look like an insect compared to Vix'tra. She saw Levora fly into battle behind Valen and Nathyrra leaving her side as well. She lifted the _Forever_ and began to send arrows towards the enemy, circling the battle field for a better view. Like many times before she was the only one staying in save distance from the enemy, while her friends – she sighed when she first thought about them like that – were taking all the blows. She had not felt bad. But this time was different. She shot another flame arrow leaving a dark, burned spot on the bones. _Why?_ Two more arrows cut the air.

Suddenly the huge form of the dragon collapsed under another mighty of Valen's strikes. Ariaen stopped within her movement. Could it be? The tiefling dived away from the falling bones. He looked weary and breathing heavily he took a healing potion out of his back-bag. A sudden noise from the far corner of the cave caught their attention. Ariaen pierced through the darkness, then her eyes widened. She shook her head. That was not possible. Her gaze flew back to the splattered bones in front of Valen and back to…to another dragon skeleton that just rose into the air. _NO!_ In horror she looked through the cave and found another and another and another. Three more dragon skeletons were hidden in the shadows of the giant cave.

_Because…_

When she saw the undead monster rise in his new and unwounded form, breathing out a cloud of dark and foul fume which wrapped around Valen and made him stumble, saw Nathyrra running back towards her, eyes wide open in naked horror, she knew why. Because before she had always been sure that they were coming back. Ariaen felt panic crawl up her spine. Valen already uncorked his second healing potion. Levora was still trying to hold back the two giant skeletons Vix'tra had summoned on their entry. Nathyrra stood only paces away from Ariaen not daring to re-enter battle.

She had to do something! Like this they would not hold ground for long. Ariaen looked around. She had almost reached the back wall of the cave. There was a little passageway leading from the huge cavern to a smaller one. She had almost reached it. But what was that? Hidden in the shadows of the rocks was a small hole closer to her actual position and obviously leading to the same back chamber. Ariaen turned around having a sudden idea. She checked that she was still shouldering _Assanti_, a magical short bow shooting lightning arrows, which she had found on the upper floor. "Nathyrra", she yelled, "use the _Forever_, you won't have to go closer then." Without waiting for a reply Ariaen threw her bow over to the Drow and dived for the hole. The first thing striking her eyes was the enormous heap of gold, jewellery, armour and trunks that piled up in the far left corner of the room. Ariaen had to force herself to stay where she was and not approach the treasure. Her friends were dying out there. She had to find a way out. She turned her head to the right, surprised about what she saw there. On the right wall of the back chamber stood a pedestal and on it lay a dark orb. On the left and right side of the artefact stood two more of the skeleton monsters, alike those Levora was just fighting against. They were large human-like undead able to shoot lightnings out of their eyes. However, they were not moving and so Ariaen made a quick but careful approach. Overcome by curiosity she laid one hand on the orb. It felt cold and vibrated with magic energy. Suddenly she saw a shadow moving within that had the form of Vix'tra. She leapt backward, but nothing happened. Ariaen narrowed her eyes. With slow and flowing movement she took the short bow from her shoulders. She suddenly knew what this was and what she had to do. She stretched the magic string, concentrating on her shot. This thing had to be destroyed. The string sang when an arrow of pure fire left it and hit the orb in its very centre. The orb and the arrow exploded into a gigantic fireball which got Ariaen from her feet and flung her right through the room into the pile of treasure. When she looked up again, the orb was broken into a million pieces and the two guards began to move. Ariaen tried to struggle herself out of the treasure when the first lightning hit her. A wave of pain went through her body and as she turned her head she saw Vix'tra entering the back chamber, furious about what she had done. He opened his huge jaw and sent a fume of death over Ariaen like she had seen it by the tiefling. The last thing Ariaen heard, was Valen's battle cry and the loud thud of his war mace cutting through the bones of the undead monster that was towering above her. _Strange_, she thought suddenly when late realization struck her mind._ I thought this bow shoots electrical arrows_.

Still rather stunned Ariaen felt how two strong arms lifted and carried her away. It felt warm and save there and Ariaen smiled very pleased. The sweet bodily softness and warmth was suddenly replaced by something rough she was wrapped into …she knew what it was, but her head was too lazy to think about it. Slowly, mumbling reached her ears, making her frown. She recognized the voices. She knew them very well. There were three of them and they all sounded very worried.

"I have not the slighted spell left", the first voice said wearily an undertone of guild resonating in it.

"And I can't" the second voice hissed sourly. "I'm no healer!"

"Then we have to wait until she wakes up, so we can give her a potion", replied the third one. Someone thrust himself beside her and Ariaen could sense the desperation this person was feeling. She wanted to lift her hand to comfort her and tell that she was alright, that she was awake, but realized that she couldn't.

The next time Ariaen awoke, she could think more clearly, although every notion running through her head demanded a heavy prise. "Aah", she moaned when thinking about what had happened.

"Ariaen", Nathyrra was at her side in an instant. "Blessed be Eilistraee! You are awake." The Drow nestled with something and soon a cold liquid whose taste Ariaen knew very well run down her throat. She coughed, but drank it all. It didn't take long and she felt much better. She could open her eyes and realized that her head lay in Levora's lap. She smiled at her then moved without feeling too much pain. They were still in Vix'tra's vault. On the far end of the cave she could see Valen obviously guarding the main entrance, but looking at her as she moved.

"We packed everything already. We should leave this place as soon as possible. Can you walk?" Nathyrra was still sounding worried and uncorked a new phial. "I'm better, much better. I just need some sleep."

Ariaen took a look around. The smashed bones of Vix'tra's two destroyed bodies were still scattered around the cave. The treasure was gone, filled into bags and sacks piling close to were she had lain. "Yes, let's leave this place", Ariaen breathed. Nathyrra waved for Valen. When the tiefling approached, he gave Ariaen an odd look, shouldered the bags and slowly walked towards the exit of the cave that had almost been their death. Ariaen still wrapped in the blanket followed him together with Nathyrra and Levora. While they were walking Ariaen's gaze was focused on the strong back of the tiefling, puzzling about the look he had given her. Was it pity in his eyes? Or guilt? Relieve? Respect? She shook her head. She wasn't sure. Maybe it was a mixture of it all.

When the four companions reached the big hall, where they had come down to by the help of the rope Ariaen refused to go on. She didn't feel able to climb this hole yet and since they had killed every monster within the cavern there was no reason why they should be forced to go on at the very moment. Valen and Nathyrra agreed, but Levora thought the time to be come to take her leave and concentrate on her former mission again. However, Ariaen convinced her that they could need her help in the battle against the Valsharess as well. The angel agreed on helping them again and left for Lith My'Athar.

The other three set up a camp. But before Ariaen could fall into sleep Nathyrra was at her side. "How did you know?" She asked. Ariaen looked at her without understanding. "The soul-gem of Vix'tra, how did you know about that?" The Drow repeated. Ariaen shrugged. "I didn't. It was just…intuition. Did it help?" The Drow burst out into laughter. "If it helped? Well, it's probably the only reason why we are all still alive. If that means it helped, then….well, yes." She smiled. Ariaen was still smiling back at her when her eyelids had already closed and she was soundly asleep.

When Arian awoke the next day her companions had already eaten breakfast. Nathyrra put the last piece of her portion in her mouth, walking over to where Ariaen slept.

"You are awake. How do you feel?" The Drow sat beside her.

Ariaen stretched. "Much better. Thank you."

"I actually wanted to ask you for your necklace." She faintly touched the golden pendant around Ariaen's neck. "You remember?"

Ariaen nodded in understanding and took the necklace over her head. "Be careful", she added hesitantly.

"Don't worry", the Drow replied. "It will take a while, but there is no risk in it." Taking the necklace Nathyrra went over to another room, in order to be undisturbed.

Ariaen suddenly felt very hungry. She struggled out of her back-bag and strolled over to Valen. "Good morning!" She said smiling, happy to be alive. He only looked at her quickly, mumbling something she didn't understand. Shaking her head, Ariaen sat down opposite him. She was not in the mood to argue with a grumpy tiefling. So, they sat there for a while, eating without saying anything. Suddenly, Valen sighed and looked at Ariaen out of the corner of his eyes. "I was wrong about something. I owe you an apology." He finally said. Ariaen looked at him baffled. She quickly finished chewing, before she replied: "An apology? Why?" He thought a moment about how to react, then he answered. "Since the time the Seer first mentioned your coming, I hated you, at least a bit." He looked at her shyly only to notice that a piece of meat had fallen out of her gaping mouth. Arian's eyes were widened in utter shock and so he hurried to continue: "I believe…I believe I did this, because I was the one who wanted to protect the Seer. I had tried to rescue the rebels for already such a long time I just didn't want somebody else suddenly appearing and take all the credit for it." He looked at her again, but she hadn't moved. Since he didn't know better, he just continued. "So, I convinced myself that one could not trust you, that the Seer's vision was probably wrong." He sighed. "But you have proved your courage one time after another and especially yesterday. I…I'm sorry." When he lifted his eyes again, his gaze was full of hope and unspoken plea that warmed Arian's heart. She was still struggling with what he had said, but his honesty touched her. After a moment she nodded slowly. "Thank…thank you, Valen. I appreciate your openness."

"I'm glad you say that", he suddenly showed a most disarming smile. "I very much liked to fight at your side until now. Slowly, I come to believe that we could stand a chance against the Valsharess."

_Had this been a compliment?_ Ariaen blinked. But Valen didn't realize her amazement and just continued to talk, sharing his fears that the Valsharess could not be their actual enemy with her. He was afraid that the reason she was having so much power, was actually the fact that she had managed to control the arch-devil Mephistopheles. According to him they would be much better off if they knew how she was able to do this. When Ariaen had just started to get used to the talkative side of the tiefling, he already cut off his own thoughts, preparing to get up.

"Wait", she called. "Won't you…keep me some company, while I'm eating?" Valen stopped in his movement, then nodded and sat down again. "You could, for example, tell me how you escaped your master, Grimash't, was it?"

It took a moment and then he began to speak. "It was…not easy. After many months of torture I was not able to fight. Grimash't held me prisoner in one of his towers in the outer planes of the Abyss. Many of his…treasures had been there. Things he liked to pay a visit from time to time. I was just a piece of his exhibition." Ariaen continued to eat, asking a question here and then, while Valen was telling her how the tower he was locked in was attacked and he could escape. He told her how he had managed to leave the Abyss by the help of another female demon and that he was chased by Grimash't and finally killed him. And after months of searching, he eventually had found the Seer who seemed to have waited for him since a long time.

"She brought back the human part in me and for that I will ever be grateful to her", he finally finished his tale with a calm voice.

"Um", Ariaen mused, "what is so special on being human?"

Valen suddenly frowned thinking about her words. "If you had experienced what I have experienced, you wouldn't say that. I often fear that my human part is sucked away and I become like I was in the Abyss, again." Listening to his serious words, Ariaen had looked up. He looked right into her eyes. "This is a cold and lonely place, my Lady. I want to be a good man and I want to die like one." Having finished though, he lowered his gaze again. Ariaen gulped. There were many things she would have liked to say, but boldness guiding her she asked in a low voice: "Are you afraid to die alone?" Valen didn't look at her for a while and she almost thought he wouldn't answer any more. But when he finally gazed up at her again the raw emotion in his eyes struck her. "That's what I…think sometimes, yes." He paused a little, their eyes locked into each other's. Ariaen felt her heartbeat in her throat.

"Then I sometimes think, if I could find a woman who—", he suddenly stopped speaking, blushed a little and turned away from her. With a deep sigh he got up. "Forgive me my boldness, my Lady. I think we should move on", he finally said, leaving to pack his stuff.

Ariaen sat there, unable to do something. Her eyes were following his movements. When she finally managed to look up, she noticed Nathyrra who stood about ten steps away, the necklace in her hand and a knowing grin on her lips. Ariaen turned purple as she thought about how long the Drow had stood there already. Having been noticed, Nathyrra came closer. She still had that grin on her face, but she didn't comment on anything. She only handed the necklace to Ariaen. "It's some kind of teleportation spell. However, I couldn't use it. You have to try it yourself." Nathyrra shrugged. "It seems person-bound." She then held the jewellery down to Ariaen pointing at one of the gemstones. "As far as I could find out, it works like this: if you press a gemstone one time you set a beacon, if you press it a second time you get teleported to this beacon. There are 5 beacons, according to the number of gemstones." Having finished her explanation she returned the necklace to Ariaen, who took it and put it back on its place, when Nathyrra continued. "Ah...and by the way, next time you give me a weapon, make sure that I'm able to use it." With these words she flung the _Forever_ into Ariaens arms, who looked at her with incomprehension as she added. "This one's obviously only for the likes of you, archer."

Since Valen trusted Ariaen and had made his apologies he was quite different than before. Of course, he was still short-tempered, grumpy and little talkative, but he was courteous, funny and caring, too.

When they entered the cave of the eye-tyrants he warned her of the Queen who was highly skilled in mind magic. When Ariaen nodded in understanding and assured him that she would keep her eyes open, he suddenly replied: "And they will, too, all dozen of them...or so". She first blinked at him in confusion, but when the corner of his mouth was twitching she suddenly realized that he had just made a joke. Not a very extraordinary one, but _a joke_. She had to chuckle, because of this notion and suddenly the three of them stood there laughing. When Ariaen calmed down again, she realized that it felt good. It felt good to be in their company, to help them, to struggle with them and to laugh with them. She also realized that in a fight her gaze more often went into the direction of the tiefling, wincing by every blow that hit him, fearing that he would go down. Far too often she came too close to the actual battle, because Valen had run into a bunch of enemies and she couldn't get sight of him any more, not knowing if he needed help. She always had some good excuse at hand to convince her companions, but she couldn't convince herself.

They had roamed up half of the caves when their supply in mind resisting potions was almost up. Closing another door behind them to get some rest they sat down arguing about how to proceed. Without shielding their mind sooner or later they knew one of them would be paralysed, turned to stone or even worse.

"Maybe we should go back and get some more of these potions", Ariaen suggested.

Nathyrra shook her head in disagreement, while spotting a big chest standing on a stone pedestal. "We don't have enough time." The Drow opened the trunk, grimacing when looking on its contents. "Great, a stone plate. What an enormous treasure." Ariaen was at her side in an instant. "Wait, didn't that kobold say something about an important stone plate?" She tried to catch a glimpse at the stone. "Nathyrra shrugged and handed the stone to her. "No idea. I didn't listen to his babbling." Ariaen examined the stone closely. "It's some kind of letters I guess, but I cannot read it." Nathyrra looked at the plate again a little annoyed. Suddenly her face got thoughtful. "Hm, it says something about an old artefact that can create a non-magical area." She trembled. "Horrible!" Ariaen let her translate the inscription word for word and finally said. "This could be our chance! If the eye-tyrants cannot use magic anymore, we could just slay them one after another." Nathyrra frowned at her. "Yes, but we couldn't use magic as well." Ariaen shook her head. She was sure this was the only way and like on the Isle of the Creator she managed to convince her companions as well. After having just decided to descent into the pit that yawned in the middle of the very same room – since this seemed the entrance to the ancient ruins the kobold had mentioned – they recognized movement behind another door. They had probably been too loud in their argument and had raised the attention of another bunch of enemies. Nathyrra first, followed by Ariaen and last Valen, they hurried to climb down the pit.

The three had just entered to steps into the cavern when they felt very different. Nathyrra stood in horror her eyes wide, sweat on her forehead, looking somehow helpless. Ariaen who had already forgotten about all the magic items she was wearing, suddenly felt stripped from protection and arcane support. Also Valen who didn't know any magic at all was bending beneath the burden of all the heavy stuff he was carrying. Ariaen gulped. Maybe it hadn't been such a good idea after all?

Nathyrra hadn't moved her face growing pale. "I think", she whispered between clenched teeth. "I can't do this. We should go back again." Ariaen's conviction vanished, she only nodded, cautiously climbing the rocks again. When she had almost reached the surface, she cried out in surprise, and without being able to keep hold on the stone would have fallen on the ground, if Valen hadn't caught her with quick reflexes. She didn't even take time to realize his hands around her waist, but spluttered: "They are up there, like dozens of them. We cannot go back!"

When Nathyrra looked at her in utter shock, her mouth opened for a shout, Ariaen first thought it was due to what she had said. Only when Valen suddenly stroke out with his mace and blood started flowing between Nathyrra's lips, Ariaen realized that something was attacking. She immediately lifted the _Forever _to plunge an arrow in the attacker's face, but wasn't able to touch the string or actually there was no string. Realizing the cause why her bow didn't work, she felt a shower of helplessness and panic overcome her. Nathyrra had already turned around and unsheathed her swords, which were not glowing with magic light as they used to, when Ariaen remembered that she had a rapier and a dagger as well. With great effort they finally managed to strike down their enemies. Weird monsters Ariaen had never seen before. Their desperation increasing they were roaming the dungeon searching for the artefact which the stone had described. When they finally turned around the corner of one corridor, Ariaen paused within her movement. On the far end of the dungeon she could half see half sense a giant monster with eight legs, making horrible clicking sounds. She stopped her companions. Nathyrra was still severely wounded from the first attack and poisoned from spider venom, since potions didn't work down here. Valen also didn't look so well and Ariaen was wounded, too. "We can't take this one", she whispered. Looking at Nathyrra who was already shivering from the poison, she added: "You two stay here, I try and sneak to the other end and see if there's and opening. If it's a dead end we should better leave this room to the creature." Nathyrra nodded thankfully, leaning onto Valen and almost slipping to the ground. His gaze however was steady, fixed on Ariaen with his clear blue eyes, concern in them. When he didn't say something Ariaen put her pack to the ground and turned around towards the dangerous cavern. She was just about to leave when she felt the tiefling's hand on her shoulder. Wondering she looked back. His gaze was still on her, when he whispered: "Be careful, Ariaen." She was glad about the darkness of the place, so he couldn't see her face becoming hot. Pressing her lips together she nodded and one moment later she had vanished into the shadows.

It was creepy to sneak around an unknown, though obviously extremely dangerous enemy. If it would recognize her there were no Valen or Nathyrra to help her, let alone a good weapon. Surprising herself she made it save to the other end of the cave, recognizing a small opening there. Hastily she ducked into it, bringing as much space between her and this monster she could. Relieved she found out that on the other side were no monsters any more, but only a great obelisk surrounded by stone plates showing strange signs. It didn't take her long to figure out that the signs could be changed by touching them and having chosen the right signs the obelisk suddenly went dull and like a wave of electricity magic run through her body and gear again. Sighing Ariaen let herself down, her back at the obelisk. Now, they had a chance to get out of this nightmare again. Ariaen tried the _Forever _and it did work. She drank a potion and the cool liquid ran down her throat curing her from her injuries in an instant. She still felt quite worn out, but at least they could take down this monster now. So, Ariaen ran back to its cave. Nathyrra would certainly have realized the return of the magic energy, preparing herself and Valen for battle. Ariaen entered her bow readied, when the first flame arrow left the string she yelled for her companions and they came. Together they killed the huge spider that had been living in this cave, with not much of an effort.

All deathly tired, but happy that they had survived they decided to set up a camp, before climbing up the pit again.

Nathyrra's poisoning was cured, but she still was the weakest of them and had had the worst injuries. Without taking long she had crawled beneath her blanket and was fallen asleep.

After having treated Nathyrra, Ariaen was looking at Valen's wounds. The blood had been stopped by a healing potion, but there was still the chance for dirt to get into the cuts. For the first time Valen didn't argue with her, but just did as Ariaen said.

"I would like to know" Valen suddenly said. "What you believe in." Ariaen turned towards him looking surprised. "Believe? Like a God, you mean?" When he nodded, she continued: "Actually, I wasn't really religiously raised, so this is a quite difficult question. Why do you want to know this?"

"Hm…, because according to what I know from the surface-world, belief is a very good thing. Only that I am not able to believe in anything myself." When she didn't say something he continued in his rare talkative manner. "During my time on the planes I met a lot of meaningful beings or I heard about them. I also know that many of them vanished or got killed, some even by the hands of mortals. Despite the power they can grant, they are just too much…like me." He sought her eyes. "I hope this doesn't sound insulting in your ears?"

Ariaen frowned and shook her head. "No, but I…I think you're mixing something up here. As you should know, I am not from your surface-world. In _our_ world Gods are….eh…not really materialistic. They…", Ariaen had stopped her work to be able to fully concentrate on her explanations. "They don't grant powers. People are also not able to walk heaven or hell, at least, not that I know of." Ariaen mused for a while. "My world is totally different to yours and it's hard to explain it in a few sentences. We don't have magic, we use computers…eh, I mean very special and difficult machines, like the golems, only that they cannot think or walk. The machines we produce help us in everyday life. Maybe like your magic. We have machines to get from one place to another very fast, machines to store lots of information, like from a million books, with others we can take pictures from us or film or communicate over long distances…" When Valen looked at her puzzled, she sighed and waved her hand in a gesture of "never mind". "It's really _very_ different." She just finished.

"I didn't know", he began thoughtfully. "I didn't know that being here is such a major change for you, such a…burden." He looked down like feeling guilty for what she had gone through. Suddenly his face lighted up and he gazed at her again. "Maybe, I could join you when you go back again? I would love to see your world and understand all the things you were saying." Ariaen's eyes widened. She suddenly pictured the tiefling - with horns and tail - in a supermarket asking for healing potions. She burst out into laughter, but when she saw Valen's bewildered and somehow hurt look, bit her lips. "Look, I would love to show you my world, Valen, but first of all I don't know if it is possible for you to go there at all, and second I don't think the people in my world could eh…cope with your appearance." She immediately realized his face becoming grim and frozen and hastily thought about a way to explain what she had meant. Not able to hide her affection she touched his arm to gain his attention. "I mean", she began when their eyes met, his' cold and hers pleading, "imagine a world with only humans, _knowing_ that there are no other intelligent races. No dragons, no elves, no duergars, no elementals…and no tieflings! First they would think you are wearing a costume, then they would call the police and then you would probably end up in some cell of the secret service or a lab of a crazy scientist." She shook her head. "I just don't think this could work out." When Valen only nodded, but didn't say something, she waited for a moment then went back on treating his wounds, feeling somehow bad.

The night passed quietly and the next morning they went back to the pit. They were certain now that they wouldn't use the obelisk's core to banish the tyrant's magic, because it would mean to banish their magic as well. They had now realized what that _really_ meant.

Though low in potion supply they managed to take down the rest of the eyes tyrants. It was a hard fight and they had gained a lot of injuries again. However, they had achieved what they wanted. They set up a camp in front of the tyrant's cave and when it was Ariaen's turn to take the watch, she found herself observing the tiefling rather than her surroundings. She let her eyes slide from his horns and red hair over his face which looked as quiet and relaxed as she had never seen it when he was awake. He had taken off his armour and his strong torso was lifting and sinking according to the rhythm of his calm breath. Since the blanket wasn't big enough to cover his whole form, she had a good view on the well-developed muscles under his pale skin. The unsteady flames of the camp-fire were leaping over his scars drawing weird patterns on his back. Ariaen sighed when her gaze went down to his big rough hands, feeling the urge to put her own hand inside the palm... Gasping she rose and willed her eyes away. _Gosh, Ariaen, pull yourself together, will you!_

The rest of the night she was wandering around, anxious to concentrate on every little spot she passed within the light of the fire except the place were Valen slept.

There was only one more thing to do and having stopped for another night in Lith My'Athar hearing that the Valsharess had readied her army, they knew it was about time. This night before they left for Zovak'Murr, the settlement of the Illithid slave-traders, Ariaen lay in her bed, playing with her necklace. She intensely looked at the jewellery, tracing it's outlines with her fingers. _How can this gem, an heirloom of my mother, possibly be magical? _The tip of her index-finger lingered on the first gemstone, which glittered blood-red in the twilight of her candle flame and she pressed it once. She slightly felt how it gave in under the pressure only to jolt up again immediately. Nothing seemed to have changed. _I set the beacon._ Ariaen breathed in deeply, curiosity making her bold, she closed her eyes and pressed the red stone a second time. She felt something change around her, like a breeze of wind touching her body swiftly as it passed. As Ariaen opened her eyes again, she took in a heavy breath. She wasn't in her room in the temple anymore, but stood in a strange chamber. In front of her she noticed the outline of person bearing dragon's wings on his back, deeply wrapped in his dark cloak, making it impossible to guess what was underneath. She suddenly felt the figure's head turn towards her, but still couldn't see his face. As he rouse his voice to speak, she had the feeling she didn't only hear it in her ears, but could feel this voice resonating in her whole body.

"How may I serve you, Sojourner?"

Ariaen shivered. _What kind of creature must that be..._ And she was glad, she couldn't see his face. Nevertheless she approached the cloaked figure.

"Who are you? Where...where am I?" She stuttered a little sheepishly.

"You have asked me this many times, Sojourner, and yet I give you the only answer I can: I am the Reaper, the Gatherer of Dust, the Gatekeeper... and this is my realm."

"Ma...many times?" Ariaen frowned and looked stunned. "But...I'm here for the first time!"

The Reaper however did not react on her disagreement.

"And this is the Gatehouse, an entry point into the Land of the Dead," he gestured all about him. "You are welcome here but I do not recommend you linger."

Ariaen tried to understand what he'd just said, letting her eyes roam.

"What are all those doors?" She suddenly asked more to herself, but the Reaper's reply came quickly.

"Have you forgotten already, Sojourner? If you wish, I can speak of the relic you carry and its relation to the nexus realm again."

Ariaen coughed. "_But_, as I already said: I have not been here before! You must mistake me for another!"

The Reaper's eyes lingered on her for a moment, tracing every line of her face and she already thought that he'd finally realised his mistake, when he continued. "Much time has passed since last you walked within this hall, Sojourner. Perhaps this is indeed the moment to remind you of the nature of the relic you carry." The Reaper gestured to the small artefact. "The relic is bound to you, and you to it. It is your key to this nexus realm, and you may use it to come here willingly... or be brought here at the moment prior to your death."

Ariaen boiled with frustration. There was just no way to penetrate through him and so she dropped the topic for another..

"But who created the relic? What is it?"

"I am bound to it, Sojourner, as it is bound to you."

The archer sighed. "That's not an answer."

The Reaper nodded in understanding. "It is, however, the only answer that I can give." He bowed low, sounding almost apologetic. "The relic is what it is, just as you are. Better to ask who created you, Sojourner."

Ariaen felt how she got impatient, because of his constant avoiding answers. Moreover she felt the exertion of the day demanding it's cost. She longed for her bed and so finally asked.

"And how do I return home from here?"

This is a nexus realm, Sojourner, a place that touches everywhere and yet nowhere. The portals lead to where you've anchored them."

Ariaen nodded. Of course, just as Nathyrra had told her. She looked at the doors and realized that they were ordered the same way as the gemstones on her necklace.

"Good Bye", she said to the Reaper already heading for the first door, which she hoped would bring her back to Lith My'Athar.

The three had just passed an opening leading closer to the mind-twisters when a bunch of shabby and sneaky looking fighters were turning around the corner. Their leader first greeted them quite friendly and warned them to protect their mind from the Illithid's evil skills and Ariaen already sighed in relief and wanted to thank him for his kindness. However, one of his comrades didn't agree on letting them go and before Ariaen had realized what that meant, the four were attacking them. It was not difficult to overcome them, but Ariaen wasn't happy with having had to kill them. She didn't understand why they had to attack. She remembered Dahanna and her duergar. Why was everybody down here just up for killing, betraying and making money out of everything. She let Nathyrra take the loot and stumbled on still brooding. Suddenly she felt Valen's firm grip on her shoulder. When she turned his look was serious. "You have to be careful here, Ariaen. For the Illithids all other races are nothing but potential slaves. If you don't protect your mind they will conquer it and make you a mindless slave as well." Ariaen stopped, she suddenly remembered the words of the leader she just had spoken to. "But how can I save my mind then?" Valen turned around to Nathyrra who handed him an iron helmet. "We found this helmet with the duergar. I think they will protect you from the Illithids." Ariaen took the helmet, but suddenly she became worried. "But what about your mind then?"

"That shouldn't be a problem", he answered calmly. "As long as we introduce you as the leader of our group, they will not take the effort to search our minds. They will probably think that we are your thralls. Concerning this matter, the Illithids feel a strange pride…the Elder brain would take their skills away if it caught them taking note of a servant." Ariaen looked at the helmet, thinking about his words. A sudden merriment and urge to tease him overcame her and when she gazed back at the tiefling an impish grin was on her lips. "If you were my thrall would you also have to cook and wash for me, then?" She asked as serious as possible. Valen suddenly laughed and blushed a little, but then shook his head. "I…don't think I would make a good thrall, my Lady. Due to my demonic blood I look discontented and grumpy, even if everything is alright." His eyes held her gaze and though Ariaen had wanted to tease him, she now found herself not knowing what to answer any more. She finally put on the helmet, mumbling something about 'liking dark and grumpy men', then turned around not giving him the chance to react on it and went on.

_Next time, you better refrain yourself._

Though it was not a happy and satisfying mission, it wasn't very difficult either. Ariaen felt awful seeing all those mindless slaves roaming the Illithid's camp and not being able to help them. At least she had the chance to buy one slave on the market and send her to Lith My'Athar for good. The Elder Brain agreed on helping them, but it wanted the magic mirror they had gained from the Avariel in return. It was a heavy bargain, but finally Ariaen gave in. By the help of her amulet they managed to teleport to the temple and return to the Illithids in but a few moments, handing the mirror to the Elder brain and praying that it would hold word.


	5. The Battle

Chapter 5 – The Battle

When they returned to Lith My'Athar again, they were already welcomed at the gates. Spies had found out that the army of the Valsharess was coming closer, reaching them sometime in the early morning. The Seer greeted them with relief and asked Ariaen if she was ready to take the lead of the troops. Although she didn't really feel like it, she agreed, but asked for any information she could get. Ariaen had never led a sport team, let alone an army. Until late into the evening Imloth and Valen let her in on the number and particularities of the army, working out a good tactic on how to arrange them.

When Ariaen finally went to her room she couldn't find any sleep. However, her thoughts weren't so much circulating around the coming battle than around a certain companion of hers. Tomorrow would be the day they had worked for so long, the day that held the danger of it all. What if one of them died? Ariaen gulped. What if Valen…died? She found herself thinking of the fact that then she had never had the chance to feel his strong embrace, to feel his lips kissing her, touch his rough hands… She bid her lips and rolled around in her bed. But after a few moments she finally got up. There was no point in denying it, she just couldn't sleep. With a few paces she was at the door, her hand lying on the handle, when she hesitated again. What was she actually up to? Should she knock at his door and say: "Hey, I wondered if you could kiss me now, in case you die tomorrow?" She was trembling all over. What if she told him about her feelings and he would be totally amazed, shrugging and telling her that he didn't feel anything for her. She would make herself a total idiot. But what if he did and…she would never find out? With sudden determination she opened her door glimpsing outside into the dark corridors of the temple. She was just about to take the first step outside when she saw the form of the tiefling only a few paces ahead, his back turned towards her, slowly heading for the other direction. She frowned. Her door was the last on this aisle, his room lay around the corner and there was no other door in between. _Could it be?_

She was still musing about where he could have come from, when he suddenly stopped, obviously having noticed her presence and turned around. Their eyes met, but neither of them moved or said a word, only their heavy breathings chanted through the corridor. Suddenly Valen started walking towards her very slowly. His clear blue eyes were searching for agreement or rejection in hers. Ariaen felt her heart beat in her throat, still unable to move. He stopped about a step away from her still waiting for a reaction. After a short while he lowered his gaze and with a heavy sigh was about to turn around again, but Ariaen hastily grabbed his hand. She had to start over twice and still her voice sounded coarse, when she asked him in nothing more than a whisper: "Will you stay with me tonight?" She saw his eyes light up in surprise and confidence, when he asked back: "As your guard?" But she slightly shook her head. "No,…as man."

They stood there only a little longer then suddenly Valen lifted Ariaen on his strong arms and carried her back into her room.

An unfamiliar female voice woke Ariaen early in the morning. "So, there finally is a face to link to all the angst of the prophecy coming with you, tu'rilthiir." Frowning Ariaen opened her eyes. Memories of the last night quickly rushed through her head, leaving her in utter confusion. Valen was gone or had he never been there? Instead this woman, obviously a Drow, was standing in her room, towering over her with a most fiendish and satisfying look on her face. "You know who I am, don't you?", she asked, looking quite concious and proud about herself. Ariaen blinked. "You must be the Valsharess", she finally reasoned more to herself. "Exactly, tu'rilthiir. Do you have a name, too? Or should I continue calling you merely tu'rilthiir?"

"My name is Ariaen. Ariaen Pathfinder", Ariaen stated without hesitation.

"Fine." The woman replied very much pleased.

When Ariaen made her way down to the temple she was still struck by bewilderment. It was quite busy in the hall already, and so it took her a while to find whom she searched for. Ariaen saw many Drows roaming to and fro, but finally she could spot the Seer giving quiet orders to some of them. She didn't see Valen and was very much relieved about it. She was still too stunned about the talk with their enemy to face the tiefling after what had happened between them the passed night, not mentioning the fact that he had left without a word, which made her even more insecure. Heading for the Seer she left the staircase. The tall Drow woman however, noticed her coming before Ariaen had reached her. The Seer's complexion took a worrying expression and she immediately concentrated all her attention to the newcomer. "Ariaen? Are you quite well?" Ariaen slightly shook her head. "The Valsharess was here", the words spluttered out of her, before she could help it. The Seer lay one hand onto her shoulder looking her deep into the eyes. "What happened?", she asked very serious. Ariaen wasn't able to stand her gaze and looked down. "She...she tried to persuade me...to...to betray you...and join her own forces. She... is very skilled with words." The Seer's grip hardened. "What did you say?" Ariaen looked up startled. "I said 'No'", she stated firmly, wondering about the question. When the Seer nodded in relief, Ariaen's eyes got caught by the form of the tiefling, obviously having appeared behind the Seer while they where talking. He stood frozen, his stern gaze lying on her. When their eyes met, she could almost read in the clear blue orbs: _If I only hadn't left her_. Ariaen lowered her eyes again. She was taxing her brain about the best way to approach him. Should she just greet him and play as if everything was totally normal? Should she ask him, why he left? Maybe it was best to say nothing at all? The Seer however, ended her indecisive brooding, reminding her about the fact that there was still a battle to fight. "Go upstairs again to prepare yourself, Ariaen. I will send Nathyrra to aid you." The Seer finished, pushing Ariaen softly towards the stairs again. It was only in this very moment that Ariaen realized she was only dressed in the simple leisure robe, she used to wear as night dress. She felt the blood shoot into her face, when she remembered that she had woken up naked and without thinking about it had slipped into her night garment, before rushing downstairs. Without hesitating any longer she quickly went to her room again annoyed about her clumsiness.

A short while later Ariaen returned to the temple with Nathyrra accompanying her. She felt much better, now that she was well equipped and had the Drow by her side giving her the possibility to just follow for some time. However, Ariaen knew that the rebels soon expected her to act as their leader. She had gone through all possible tactics for their army the last evening, but soon she had to order them to their appropriate positions, standing first row and fight among them.

The hall was already almost empty, when the Drow and Ariaen entered it again. Only the Seer was still there, looking at them as they came down.

"We are ready, Mother Seer." Nathyrra stated plainly.

The Seer nodded pleased, then added. "Please join the forces outside already, Nathyrra. There's something I have to tell Ariaen, before she leaves."

Nathyrra winked at Ariaen encouraging and vanished through the portal of the temple without another word.

"Ariaen" The Seer looked at her a little worried and probably for the first time was searching for the right words. "There's something I need to tell you before the battle." Ariaen looked at her in anxious expectation when realising the seriousness in her voice. "As you already know, I called you from your world to help us against our enemy." Ariaen nodded. "What you don't know is that I called you _only_ for helping us against our enemy." When Ariaen looked at her puzzled, she continued. "What I mean to say is...", the Seer gazed through the open portal, her eyes roaming the place in front of the temple. They got locked by the form of the tiefling controlling the equipment of some soldiers, and suddenly gained an almost regretting expression. Ariaen followed her eyes when she finished her sentence. "...after we defeated our enemy, you will most likely be teleported back to your home." Ariaen froze, trying to get the meaning of the words she had just heard. _She would be teleported back? Just like this? _Her eyes focused on Valen again. He had turned his back towards her. She followed the quick movements of his hands, remembering their soft touch on her body. She heard his voice, laughing, but did not understand what he was saying. She gulped. _Would that be it? He here and she...there? _She felt the Seer's hand on her arm, comforting this time. "I just thought you should know, so you could prepare yourself." Ariaen nodded, still unable to say something, when a horn was blown loudly gaining the attention of everybody around. Orders were shouted and soldiers started to move. _So, this is it_, Ariaen thought standing on the threshold of the temple staring outside. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath putting all her doubts and other thought aside. When she opened her lids again she was gazing directly into Valen's unreadable eyes. Ariaen didn't hesitate any more, but passed the portal with a steady pace. "Let's do this!" She said having reached the tiefling. For a quick moment she believed to see a faint flicker of surprise in his clear blue eyes, then his complexion got grim and he nodded.

They had fought for hours, defending the gates, slashing enemy after enemy, being duergar, Drow or summoned devil. Lots of rebels had died in their struggle, lots were wounded, among them also Ariaen, Valen and Nathyrra. But it seemed that Ariaen's battle order had prevailed, when less opponents streamed trough the gates and tried to break into the city. Suddenly a call sounded from one of the towers. They had won! The enemy drew back! They were save!

Ariaen let herself down on a rock that had fallen into the yard when the opponents had managed to break a hole through the outer wall. Her breath went heavy and her head seemed empty. She was waiting for the teleportation to happen every minute.

"Are you alright, my Lady?" She suddenly heard Valen's worried voice beside her. When she slowly turned her head, the blood streaming all over his armour made her wince. But she managed to smile at him and nodded. "You seem to be much worse than I", she added pointing at the stains. Looking down, he shook his head. "Oh, it's nothing, my Lady. Mostly enemy's blood, I guess." Her smile got broader. _Still playing invincible._ Then suddenly her expression got more serious and she started hesitantly: "Valen, I...there's something I need to tell you." Their gazes met and Ariaen gulped not knowing how to continue. When she finally opened her mouth again, her words went under in a rising tumult inside the yard. Shouts were voiced that the enemy was in the city, come over the Black river. That they were attacking the Seer. That they should go there immediately. It took a while before Ariaen understood the meaning of those calls, before she let them sink into her conciousness. The same moment she realised that Valen's eyes were still on her. She sighed and only a split second later he turned with a grim face and stated: "We need to go!" Without any further comment Ariaen got to her feet and followed him quickly.

They managed to fight back another force of Drow fighters and sorcerers by the temple with the help of Levora and the Seer's guards who had stayed close to her. But also after this success the Seer made clear that they hadn't won yet, because the Valsharess was still alive. So, without taking the rest they all actually needed, the remaining rebels left Lith My'athar for the Valsharess' stronghold.

During that journey Ariaen didn't have the time to speak to Valen in private again. She also was much too exhausted to think about anything than the end of the battle. When they finally reached the palace late that evening, the Seer approached her. "Are you prepared, Ariaen?" Ariaen lifted her weary head and nodded. "Good, then follow me!" Together they gathered their soldiers around them and the Seer held a mighty speech about the end of all their fears and worries. She pointed at the gate, underlining that their goal was almost achieved, only one little effort had to be done: to kill the Valsharess!

Suddenly Ariaen felt a strange tickling going through her body. She looked down at her arms seeing them fading. Bewilderment and shock in her eyes she looked at the Seer. _Why now,_ she thought, _we haven't defeated our enemy, yet? _But the Seer was looking at her surprised as well opening her mouth to a desperate: "NO!" Feeling her body vanishing into thin air, Ariaen's eyes searched for Valen who stood just paces away behind the Seer. When he realized what was happening, he jumped in her direction calling her name, his left arm outstretched. When he tried to catch her, however, his hand just went through her sleeve and arm without meeting resistance. His face went ashen. The last thing she saw before everything went black were Valen's clear blue eyes, fixed on her's and widened in shock.

Only moments later Ariaen found herself inside a dark room. Opposite her stood the Drow she knew to be the Valsharess. Behind her, chained to a stone wall, was an enormous creature, looking a little like the devils they had fought against at the gates of Lith My'athar, only that he was bigger and even more intriguing. _This must be the arch-devil Valen has told me about. He who was bound by the Valsharess and is granting her so much power._

Ariaen didn't have much time to muse about how this Drow, who wasn't much taller than herself, had managed to bring such a dangerous creature like Mephistopholes under her control, since the Valsharess addressed her immediately. A smirk on her face and a triumphant tone in her voice she made clear that this was Ariaen's end. However, the arch-devil didn't think so, since he did not follow the Valsharess' order to kill Ariaen. Instead he loosened the chains of her magical jail and killed the Valsharess' body guards. Ariaen didn't think twice why he did that, but attacked the Drow queen immediately. Though she had been taken by surprise the Valsharess was no easy opponent for Ariaen. Whenever the archer thought, that she had to go down any second, the Drow healed herself, afterwards almost looking as healthy as when they had started to fight. Ariaen had to endure a lot of magical attacks and had uncorked several healing potions already when a cascade of fire ran down on her, taking her breath and sending her to the floor. She remembered this spell, when having fought against Sabal and it made her extremely angry that this woman only had to click her fingers to cause her so much pain. When she lifted her bow again, the fire of her arrow mirrored in her eyes. _You are not getting me down, bitch! I will kill you! The Seer knew it, and I believe it! _When her arrow met it's target and exploded into a ball of fire, the Valsharess was screaming in pain. _It's like in Vix'tra's cave_, Ariaen thought, drawing again. _I can do this again_, she ensured herself, letting go. Another fireball hit the Valsharess and made her stumble. Smoke ascended from her body and the air was heavy with the stench of burned flesh. The Drow lifted her arms to cast a healing spell. Desperation was obvious in her widened eyes, when the third fireball hit her and with a last high-pitched scream, left her motionless, smoking on the ground.

Ariaen went to her knees for a rest. She had done it. She had killed the Valsharess. She sighed. _Now I will be teleported back. I will come ho-_

"And so she is dead. You have done well, mortal."A deeply satisfied and roaring voice suddenly interrupted Ariaen's indulge in victory and reminded her on the fact that the Valsharess hadn't been her only enemy. Wearily she lifted her head.

"I thought you were bound to do her bidding?"

"Indeed I was. But there are rules and even older rules that I must obey, all of which supercede the bindings the fool drow placed me under. Not that she knew of this." He paused a short while, before continuing with a reluctant voice. "She may have summoned me, but to command me to slay one who is an extension of myself... that was beyond her power. A pity."

Ariaen frowned. "What do you mean with...an extension of yourself?"

He laughed and the whole room seemed to bounce. "That would be _you_, mortal. Ever since you found my relic within the Plane of Shadow, you have been bound to me as it has been bound to you. A most fortuitous event, in my eyes."

Ariaen shook her head in total confusion. "What? I don't know what you are talking about." She suddenly felt reminded on the misunderstanding conversation with the Reaper and this very moment a crazy idea entered her mind. Hesitantly she reached for the gem around her neck. "You...you don't mean this with your...eh...relic don't you?"

The arch-devil grinned and with a quick movement had taken the jewel from her hand. "This relic is a piece of my own flesh, meant for the leader of my priesthood on this plane... but obviously it was destined to be found by you, instead."

Ariaen knelt on the ground in utter shock, millions of thoughts whirling through her head. "But...but...I didn't find it anywhere. It...it belonged to my...MOTHER!" The last word she screamed as loud as she could, tears of confusion and despair running down her cheeks.

Through her sobbing she felt the huge head of the devil draw closer to her face. The smell of fire and destruction, the musk of the arch-devil, was reaching her nostrils.

"Your...mother, hm?" Then he suddenly laughed viciously again. "A nice heirloom did she leave you. Through it, I called you here, confident that your power could challenge even that of the Valsharess... and I was correct. I am always pleased when a gamble turns out well."

_But did not the Seer bring me here?_

Ariaen felt devastated. "So what does that mean now?", she breathed lowly.

He looked at her triumphantly. "I am free. A great lord of the devils able to roam amongst the mortals and bring suffering to them as I wish, with not a one who possesses the power to stop me! I would begin with you, dear mortal, but since we are bound so closely that would not be prudent. Instead I will send you some place you may not interfere. And the relic... that I relieve you of now.

I wish you well in the Hells, mortal. You have proven... most useful."

With a violent tug he ripped the dear heirloom from Ariaen's neck, knocking her to the floor painfully.


	6. Hell

Chapter 6 – Hell

She was dead. That devil must have killed her. A wave of horror ran through her entire body just before she realized that she felt rather alive. She could think clearly and feel her body. Slowly Ariaen lifted a free hand to her throat only to find nothing there. She coughed, remembering her conversation with the arch-devil. Her mother's heirloom was gone and it had brought her... _What?_

Ariaen opened her eyes, quickly checking where she was.

"You?", her eyes opened wide immediately, when she saw the reaper standing in front of her and she noticed the well-known atmosphere of the place between all places surrounding her.

The familiar, hooded figure of the Reaper bowed as she approached, enigmatic as always.

"How may I serve you, Sojourner?"

_How can I be here? Mephistopholes took the gem?_

"I..," Ariaen started shakily. "I want to go back."

"I am sorry, Sojourner," the Reaper sighed heavily. "You are now barred from the world of Toril. I cannot comply."

Ariaen frowned. "Toril? Is that the name of the world Lith My'Athar lays on?"

When the reaper only nodded she shouted panicking.

"What? Who says I'm barred from there?"

"You are barred from returning to that world by the command of Mephistopheles." He bowed low once again. "I am sorry, Sojourner. It is Mephistopheles who rules here, and so can he command me."

Ariaen gaped. "So you worked for Mephistopheles all along?"

"The archdevil uses me as he uses all things, such is his nature. I was not always his subject... but once he learned of my True Name I was his forever." She felt him stare at her intensely, when he continued. "He used you, as well, creating a devil's deal that you were unaware of. A bond was formed with him the moment you discovered his relic, and upon killing the one who held him captive you took his place and he yours."

Ariaen swung her hand in front her face and shook her head eagerly trying to refuse the words into her head. She knew there was no point in arguing about her 'finding the relic' with the reaper and she also didn't want to. She only wanted to go back or home or at least she needed someone to help her here. Suddenly her head bounced up.

"What of my companions, the Seer, the rebels?" _Valen, _she anxiously added in her mind._ "_Where are they?"

The Reaper paused for a moment, gazing out into the distance as if searching before finally responding. "They are dead, Sojourner."

Ariaen's eyes went wide, she had frozen, feeling goosebumps all over her body. Then she began shivering. Suddenly all strength left her body and she went down to the floor. The Reaper still stood in front of her, making no comment on her reaction. He was the same emotionless, weird creature she had got to know him. If she hadn't already been sure of his total lack of empathy before she would have been now, when he didn't hesitate to state the one sentence that shattered her into a million pieces. When she finally managed to say something, her voice was coarse: "Dead?". By saying it, she tried to make herself understand this information, to accept it. _Why am I still here when everybody else is dead? What if I will never get back home? And now that they are...gone, will be alone for the rest of my life?_

She was still sitting on the ground without movement, not willing to get up again, seeing no reason to do so, when the reaper broke the silence. "That is, however, merely a transitory state as you are well aware. The Spirits of the Dead can end up in many places, as their will dictates. The outer planes are infinite in their variety and who can say where a soul will go? That said, this realm touches all places and so can these dead companions be found. But they will agree to come or not, each according to their desire. I cannot compel them to come here in the same way I have you."

Ariaen's head flipped upwards and she frowned. "You...you can bring them back?" She almost screamed hysterically.

The Reaper only nodded. "Who shall I summon?"

Ariaen gulped. Could that really be true? Could he bring them back to her?

"Call... Valen", she breathed, hope rising.

Ariaen watched the Reaper put his arms into the air. She didn't follow his words, but was banned in utter tension waiting for something to happen. Suddenly without a flash or a big bang Ariaen found Valen materialising beside her. He shook his head, like clearing his conscience then looked around. In this very moment Ariaen realized that she was still sitting on the ground. She got up as quick as possible, facing the tiefling and trying to smile. When their eyes met, he gazed at her in surprise. He removed one of his gauntlets and then stretching out his hand carefully touched her cheek. His skin felt rough, but the warm touch gave her the conviction that he was really standing in front of her.

"Ariaen, is it you who called me then." He sighed. "I'm glad to fight at your side again."

When he touched her other cheek, too, she noticed that he was wiping away tears she hadn't realized to have shed. She blushed a little and muttered: "I...I thought you were dead."

Before Valen could answer something the Reaper interrupted them.

"Should I call somebody else, Hellwalker?"

Ariaen turned to the Reaper again. "Yes, call Nathyrra!"

It didn't take long, before also Nathyrra appeared beside them, looking puzzled as well, but happy to be able to accompany Ariaen again.

After exchanging quickly what had happened to either of them, they turned back to the Reaper. From him they got to know that they were in Cania, the eighth hell. Fortunately, the Reaper himself gave them a hint on how to break Mephistopholes' order to keep them there – the same way it was given, through his true name. Ariaen turned towards her companions.

"I don't understand half of what he's saying." She sighed. "What does he mean with we are in the eighth hell? How many hells are there? And what does he mean with a 'true name'?", she added puzzled.

Valen put one hand onto her shoulder, if for comfort, support or to make sure she would endure the new information, Ariaen wasn't sure. "We are in Baator, also known as the Nine Hells. More specifically it is one of the nine planes that make up Baator, the icy graveyard known as Cania. Home to Mephistopheles... until recently, it seems.," Valen started to answer. "And a 'true name'," he mused for a few seconds. "A 'truename' is the key to one's soul, one's utmost self. When somebody knows this true name of yours, he can give you any order he wants, you _must_ obey." He paused again, then added a little more insecure and mumbling. "As far as I know the Gods have given them to every creature by it's birth and they bear their language."

Ariaen immediately thought about her _real_ name. _Would that be my true name?_ She tried not to think about her real name, fearing her thoughts to be read.. _But the language of the Gods? _"And does everybody know his or her true name?", she asked further. Valen shook his head. "No", he breathed. "Only the Gods know."

Ariaen whirled around to the Reaper again. "And how are we supposed to discover your true name, then?"

The Reaper looked down at her emotionless. "This I do not know. I cannot provide it to you willingly, Sojourner... and I have no knowledge of how Mephistopheles discovered it. If you did learn it, however, then would you be free."

"AAH!", Ariaen flung er arms up in frustration and turned on the spot, leaving the Reaper behind without further comment heading towards the only open door, the one leading to hell.

Having stepped through it, Ariaen froze immediately not only in movement, but literally. The world around her was white and cold. She wrapped her arms around her body, trying to save as much warmth as possible, but couldn't keep her teeth from clattering.

Only moments afterwards Valen and Nathyrra stepped out into the frozen landscape and Ariaen heard Valen's voice behind her sounding cynical. "Ah, welcome to hell."

"It...it...ss..co...cold!", Ariaen stated to utter her surprise."Shou...ldn...t...be...ho...hot?"

She felt Valen spreading his cloak over her shoulders hastily and embracing her with his free arm. When she slowly turned her head towards him, his face was close to hers, their icy breaths intermingled as they left their lips and his expression showed obvious concern. "You need something against the cold. I'm not effected by it so easily, because I'm from the planes, but you will-".

"COME!", Valen's voice was interrupted by Nathyrra's shout. And when both followed her voice, they saw that she had just reached a fire-place some steps ahead, barely visible through the falling snow and the icy wind that stung in one's eyes. A tight grip around Ariaen's shoulder, Valen dragged her with him until they reached the fire-place. Besides Nathyrra there was also one other creature warming her transparent shape near the flames. Having regained control over her body, Ariaen stared at the woman gaping. As she suddenly looked back, Ariaen felt ashamed and in the hope to ease the situation, started a conversation. From the woman who was a ghost, banished to the eighth hell, she heard a lot of interesting information about the place they where on, what Mephistopholes did in Toril and that everybody here, soon or later would be taken by him to join his army, only to vanish into nothingness afterwards.

"Vanish into nothingness?", Ariaen just asked as the woman she was talking to disappeared in a flash only leaving the sound of her horrible yell behind. Ariaen gulped, staring at the spot the ghost had stood just a second ago.

"We h...have to h...help-", she started about to run into the whirling blizzard around her, but being held back by a strong arm around her shoulder.

"We first have to find something for you to withstand the cold", she heard Valen's serious voice remembering her to where she was.

"There must be some kind of supply or shop around here", she suddenly heard Nathyrra saying, wondering why she didn't sound like she was freezing. "A...are Drows a...also not a...affected by the c...cold?", she asked the Dark elf bewildered.

Nathyrra's gaze wandered to Ariaen's face, looking a bit guilty. "Well, yes they are, but I've got a spell against it." Her lips became thin and she lowered her eyes. "However, it will not last long." When she lifted her head again, she shot Valen a serious look. "You two stay here. I come back, when I found some better shelter or something else against the cold." Without waiting for a reply Nathyrra turned around and left.

Ariaen's eyes soon started to hurt from trying to follow the Drow's shape being swallowed by the whirling snow. Minutes after she had disappeared completely Ariaen could still not take her eyes away, afraid that she would never see her again.

When Valen moved beside her, however, she suddenly remembered that they both were now alone. The moment she realized this, she physically felt the intensity of his presence and closeness from tip to toe. The spot on her shoulder where he touched it, was warm and the more she concentrated on it, it seemed to burn into her skin. It let her blood rush through her whole body, bringing up pictures in her head of the night before the great battle. "Ariaen...," his voice sounded croaky, but she was sure it didn't come from the cold surroundings. _Was he feeling the same? _She didn't dare to turn her face towards him, because of her heating blood that shot a deep blush onto her face making her thoughts all too obvious. "Might we speak?" Ariaen felt him looking down at her in search for her eyes. She nervously stretched out her arms to the fire, pretending to be absorbed into warming herself up. "Sure", she whispered as calm as possible. Valen rubbed his chin thoughtfully, seemingly unsure how to continue. "We might meet our end at any time now, and there is something I would like to get off my chest first." Ariaen was so busy calming herself, that she didn't realize the insecurity in his voice and the pauses he made to collect himself. "We have not known each other for long. I wanted you to know, however, that in the brief time we've spent together I've... come to feel quite close to you." As his words reached Ariaen's mind, she stood motionless, her eyes went wide and her head flipped up to meet his gaze. _This isn't just any conversation...this is... _

She gulped.

"Close?", she repeated with the same croaky voice. "In what way?"

She now felt his tension.

"I... I think I've come to know you quite well. I believe we have a companionship, perhaps even something more than that. Do you... not feel the same?"

Their eyes were still locked into each other's, when she couldn't help, but think back again to the night they had spent together. But this was not what he meant. She focused back on him, who was still waiting for her reply, but could do nothing more than nod.

He smiled shyly, looking away for a moment. When his eyes returned to her, they were bright and filled with emotion. "I am most glad, my lady." And after a short pause he continued.

"My life," he began slowly, "has been one of nothing but rage and despair. Even after I came to the Seer, I still believed that gaining my humanity was the most I could aspire to. I do not feel that way any more. I believe there is something greater I could aspire to." His eyes stared into Ariaen's intensely. "I... I love you, my lady. With all my heart."

It suddenly seemed so clear to her. _Love._ She had fallen in love with him, since...she didn't know, but that didn't matter. She hadn't even thought about it, she didn't have enough time. Her countenance suddenly softened and her eyes lightened up. He loved her, too. It was the first time she allowed herself to study his features openly. His red hair, tousled by the wind, but held back by the two brown horns, his alabaster skin, his soft lips and his intense blue eyes, which all together formed this handsome face. The face of the man who loved her and she... loved back. The man she felt she wanted to spend her future with.

Suddenly the Seer's words sounded in her head: "_As soon as we've defeated our enemy, you will most certainly be teleported back to your world._"

Ariaen blinked and the soft and happy expression on her face faded as she remembered that there was no future for the both of them.

She closed her eyes and felt Valen's discomposure. He was still waiting for her reaction. Suddenly Ariaen's head started to buzz, tears tried to flush up her eyes and it caused her pain to will them down in order to not loose her composure. Her head was hurting from the flow of thoughts rushing through it, thoughts about what to do, what to say. When she heard Valen clear his throat bashfully, she suddenly burst out: "I...I don't know..." The disappointment and wounded pride that rose in his eyes immediately, made her wince and she already was about to set things right, but he was quicker. "Of course, my Lady. I understand." He ceased his eyes. "Forgive me my boldness. I thought...ah, it doesn't matter, what I thought...I-"

"You two look like you were in hell!" A teasing voice suddenly interrupted their conversation. When they both looked up, a most satisfied Nathyrra looked at them. Only when she saw their faces, her smile froze and they could see the cynical curiosity on her dark face. However, she again chose to say nothing, but instead handed a ring to Ariaen. "Here, it makes you feel less cold. Though it will still not feel very comfortable. He didn't have something with stronger enchantments we could effort." She then held up her other hand. "And in case you wonder, I got my own."

When they finally went on with their search for the Reaper's true name, Ariaen still felt icy-cold. She controlled her hand, but the ring was there. She wrapped herself deeper into her coat, sighing as she remembered how warm it had felt in Valen's embrace. When she lifted her gaze and looked at the tiefling's broad and repellent back in front of her, she suddenly knew why she felt so cold. It was a cold that came from within and no enchantment could cease it.

The little settlement they had arrived at, wasn't very big and so it didn't take long until they had searched every building and talked to every stranger. It turned out that finding the Reaper's true name wouldn't be too easy, but the most promising way seemed to talk to the _Sleeping man_. This was an angel lying asleep in the local temple since years or decades waiting for the woman he loved.

It was not a very comfortable journey due to the icy and stormy weather. And whenever Ariaen looked over to Valen who was avoiding her gaze, she felt horrible rethinking to tell him the truth for hundreds of times. Sighing she tried to concentrate on the good things to lighten up her spirit: She had her two companions back guiding her with knowledge and friendly support. The fact that they sooner or later had to fight against Mephistopholes again she put far into the depth of her mind. And with it she put the fact that when they'd accomplished that, she would have to leave them, finally.

When they met their first devil in the mines, the situation changed to the worse. It started with Valen letting out a faint growl beside her. When she shot him a surprised look, she recognized the change of colour in his eyes. They had turned purple. She approached him, touching his arm in concern. "Valen?" But he didn't reply, his eyes focussed on the devil standing behind the counter of his little shop, turning his back towards them. When Valen's hand slowly went to the hilt of his mace, hanging on his belt, she grabbed it tightly. Her other hand went to his shoulder, shaking him hard, repeating his name, until he suddenly blinked and looked at her, the purple in his eyes returning to it's normal blue.

He closed his eyes, breathing deeply, before he said with a throaty voice. "I should warn you that my presence may cause... problems. I am tanar'ri, a half-demon from the Abyss, and the devils of Baator are my natural opponents thanks to the Blood Wars." As he opened his eyes again, he stared at her intensely. "You remember, what I told you about the Blood Wars?"

Ariaen who hadn't loosened her grip around neither his right hand nor his shoulder only nodded slowly. When neither of them moved for some moments, she added with a faint flicker of hope. "If you don't attack, maybe they won't."

Valen smiled softly at her naïve good-willing and it made her heart leap in joy, because it was the first smile since their last conversation. "That is just the thing... my own blood will make me want to attack them, and vice versa." Then he frowned deeply looking very concentrated, before he gently freed himself of her grip. "I will... try to control myself. We should find a way out of here soon, however."

From that moment on, Ariaen always had a concerned eye on Valen, whose struggling became more obvious the longer they stayed in this place. She had to bit her lip. _How ironical. My only chance to stay with him longer lays here, but if we delay too much, he will..._ She didn't finish her thought, since she couldn't. She did not know what would become of him, but she clearly remembered him calling himself a 'wild animal' and did not want to find out.

On the end of the day, they had solved the five-fold mystery of the sleeping man and where allowed to see him. Though he didn't wake up, with a necklace she was given by the sleeping man's priestess, Ariaen managed to take a look on his dreams. They told her about the existence of two extraordinary beings, called the Knower of Places and The Knower of Names. They told her about how the sleeping man had found The Knower of Places by the help of a magic ring and from her had learned the place where he would meet his love. And it told her how the Knower of Names' love to Mephistopheles had led her to being imprisoned by him in the far wastes of Cania.

When Ariaen leaped back from the dream world she had to sit down on the stairs of the platform the sleeping man was lying, trying to bring sense into what she'd seen. After she had told everything to her companions they recognized a door which had appeared during her experience. They followed it down into a chamber underneath the sleeping man's bedroom and after fighting some guardians managed to retrieve three pieces of a ring which Ariaen recognized to be that from the angel.

When she put on the ring she gasped in surprise. Suddenly the world around her was changed. Everything was dipped in a strange violet light. Objects like trunks or pillars became translucent, like she had somehow moved into a shadow of the real world. She even noticed things which hadn't been there before, such as big red arrows on the floor showing her a direction she didn't know what the destination would be, but could only assume it. After the first shock Ariaen slowly removed the ring again. When she found everything as normal as before she sighed in relief.

"What's it?", she heard Nathyrra's impatient voice beside her.

Ariaen wrinkled her brows putting the ring on again. "It's strange. I see things which aren't actually here and the world seems so...faint."

"How is it supposed to lead us to the Knower of Places, anyway?", Valen growled disappointedly.

Ariaen couldn't help but laugh. "Well, first of all there are bright red arrows on the floor, maybe they lead us towards her."

"Bright red arrows?", he mumbled while penetrating the floor with his glance as to convince it to show them to him, too.

Ariaen nodded. "Follow me!"

Carefully she lead them back the way they came from, past the sleeping man's priestess out of the building. From there on she made her way through the crunching snow to the west and suddenly stopped in front of the snowy mountains encircling the little enclave.

"Dead end", she heard Nathyrra's cynical voice behind her back, but shook her head. "No. There...there's a door or something!" She carefully stretched out her hand. "You can't see it?" She added more to herself and removed the ring. "Wow!" Ariaen was totally absorbed in this new experience, when Valen's growling voice brought her back to reality and reminded her on the fact that they should hurry. So, she put the ring on again and with a deep breath took a step through the portal.

She didn't know what she had expected, but nevertheless Ariaen was quite disappointed when the only thing she found on the other side of the portal was more snow and mountains. At least she found more red arrows and without further delay they went on. It didn't take long until they met there first enemy, however, one of the guardians she had seen in the sleeping man's dreams. Ariaen was still in a kind of shock when the huge ugly monster came walking towards her, his sword brandished and without even willing to discuss the situation. This time she found it fortunate that Valen hated those beasts so much, since he was on it, before it even came in reach of Ariaen. The fight didn't take long, but during it Ariaen made a strange experience, because she suddenly transformed into a wolf without knowing why. With the help of her friends she found out that it must be a special feature of the necklace the priestess had given to her. After rubbing it's crystal some times she found out that it beard the magic to transform the wearer in a wolf, a fairy or an earth elemental. She found it a most extraordinary feeling, again impressed by the powers and mysteries this world held. By the help of these transformations they made their way through the ice desert, passed a few trolls and wolves and suddenly found their way blocked by some rocks. The only other way led through another portal.

Since only Ariaen could see the portal due to the sleeping man's ring she was wearing, she was again the first to enter. This time however she was very much surprised when she arrived on the other side. Her feet suddenly felt hard stone instead of stepping on ever more of the icey snow. In awe she looked at the massive stone architecture of the hall she had entered when suddenly something tugged hard on her armour, loosened the straps and without her being able to prevend it took the armour from her torso. As she had recovered from the shock the only thing Ariaen could do was watching the trunk into which her armour had disappeared dissolve into thin air. „What the...!", she started to shout and tried to follow it when Valen and Nathyrra entered the hall behind her. Immediately, they sensed that something was wrong and hurried at Ariaen's side. The archer's concentration however was still totally consumed by the weird experience. „Gimme my armour back!" She shouted trying to wrap the edges of her cloak around her freezing body, then turned and with a gesture of complete disbelief she stammered at her companions. „Did...did you see that? That thing...that _trunk_ did nick my armour! An'...and then it _flew_ away!"

Nathyrra was gazing now at Ariaen and then in the direction her finger was pointing to show where the weird creature had dissappeared to, a slight grin on her lips. Valen wasn't moving, his facial mimic frozen and his eyes wide open. He first cleared his throat then with a low and flustered voice he started: "Err... my lady?" He turned his eyes skyward. "Is it not a bit dangerous to... be so bare. Of armor, I mean."

Ariaen hadn't cooled down enough to feel ashamed of her actual looks and also not enough to sense Valen's uneasiness. „There's no immediate danger, Valen. But, yeah, I maybe should put on another armour before the next fight. May I see your backpack?" Busy with her thoughts Ariaen stepped closer to the tiefling reaching for his pack.

The tiefling stood stiff as a poker highly concentrated to look into another direction. "That is not the kind of danger I meant..." he gulped.

„Not?" Ariaen looked up at the tiefling and when gazing directly into his eyes glowing in a deep warm blue like in the night they had spent together, strong emotions befell her. With sudden intensity she was aware of the tension between them and herself standing there in only her underwear. Pictures formed inside her head of Valen kissing her, caressing her. The tender touch of his hands. With a cough the air she had held back left her lungs and without thinking she said the first thing that would pop up in her mind her voice croaky.

„What did you mean then?"

There was only a small distance between their faces so Ariaen could feel Valen's warm breath on her cheeks when he answered trying to keep his composure.

"I, ah... I simply mean you may attract unwanted attention. This is a land of devils, after all."

Ariaen nodded absent-minded. "You think devils are interested in my underwear?"  
Valen squirmed, trying to formulate a response to Ariaen's question. Suddenly the shade of his eyes got icey-cold again and with a more distanced undertone he seriously said, "You are a beautiful woman, my lady, without doubt. You... would garner notice wherever went."

Though Valen had made her a compliment Ariaen felt awefully reminded on the relationship they had shortly after they had met. When he had despised her. The moment he had given in to his feelings had gone and he obviously had remembered that she had declined him. Ariaen lowered her eyes. A few moments she said nothing. Should she clear this misunderstanding now - or at all? The pain it caused her to see how much he suffered by having been rejected was almost unbearable. But she couldn't find the right words. Moreover there was Nathyrra and then...what difference would it make when she was back home? Would he not be better off like this? Would they not both be better off not falling in love any deeper? But could she even fall in love even deeper?

Suddenly Nathyrra's amused voice broke into Ariaen's thoughts. „Are you trying to defend her honour, Valen? Or her cleavage?" And she laughed. Ariaen pulled her lips into a stiff smile uttering an artificial laugh. Then she decided to skip the topic and finally reached for Valen's backpack eager not to look at him any more and to get busy with something in order to distract herself from the hopeless situation. She found a highly embroidered magic leather armour they had kept because it looked quite precious and without another word put it on.

She then handed the backpack back to Valen still without looking at him. As she turned she saw Nathyrra standing a few paces away examinating some kind of light-barrier that barred their way. Taking the first step into her direction she heared Valen's deep low voice muttering to her back. „I'd always defend your honour, my lady, if you'd allow me."

Ariaen closed her eyes for a moment, pressing their lids together and willed herself to walk on just pretending she hadn't heard him.

The three companions found a way to defeat the trunk, also known as mimic, and get back Ariaen's armour together with a strange demonic hand which allowed them to overcome longer distances and certain obstacles. By the help of this magic device they managed to make progress on their way still following the red arrows appearing again on the snow after they had left the mimic's lair.

Arriving on another snowy plateau heading for the entrance to another cave, Valen suddenly stumbled and stopped.

Ariaen looked at him in surprise when she noticed he had a pained expression, and his eyes glowed a dull red. „Valen...?"

"This... is not easy for me." The tiefling groaned averting his eyes as he saw her troubled look. He breathed in hard a few times before he was able to continue."I feel my blood rebelling against me the longer we stay here."

In an instant Ariaen was at Valen's side touching his arm in the hope of being of support, all sorrows and misunderstandings forgotten. Her voice was but a whisper and full of the fear of loosing him. "Are you going to be able to hold out?"

He took several long breaths, calming slowly. "I... believe so. It is not easy, but I think I can control myself." Her grip became more tight as she tried hard to refrain herself from flunging her arms around him. For several moments they stood like that, his breath still going heavy, but easying down slowly. Nobody spoke until Valen broke the silence again,

"Perhaps it would be better if you... left me behind." He scowled deeply. "I cannot guarantee that I won't cause more problems than I help with."

Ariaen's eyes went wide and her skin turned pale. „NOO!" she screamed from the bottom of her heart, panic and unspoken feelings resonating in her voice. "I'm not leaving you behind. Ever." _I must tell him. Now. _Valen looked up into her face, bewilderment obvious in his eyes as he tried to make something out of her outburst.

Her hand still on his arm, she inhaled deeply then began: „Valen, I...". When suddenly a dark male voice interrupted her sounding out of the cave's opening.

"So, Ariaen Pathfinder, it seems the Silent Lord has finally claimed you. It is unfortunate you have ended up here in the Hells, however... since we are planning to take over."

Unwillingly, Ariaen turned to the intruder being angry, but also a little relieved over the interference. The man she looked at only reached up to her belly, he had bronze-coloured skin and was bald. He only wore a light tunic decorated with symbols of death and on his bare arms and head she recognized a lot of scars, which reminded her on Valen. After she had looked him up and down several times she was sure of never having him met before.

"Who are you? How do you know who I am?" Ariaen asked confused.

"My name is Grimgnaw. Once I traveled with the Hero of Neverwinter in a battle against Morag and the Old Ones, but that was long ago..." The man said in a grim voice. Ariaen said nothing, since she had never heard about Neverwinter, some Morag or Old Onces and was busy to make sense out of his words. So he continued: "During my life I was a servant of Death, the Silent Lord. I knew the name and face of all those who delivered souls to my master... those like you, Ariaen Pathfinder."

_Delivered souls to death? Like killed people? Me? _Ariaen only got more and more confused the longer he spoke and so having no idea what to reply.

"In all your adventures, how many have died at your hand? A hundred? A thousand? You have served the Silent Lord well, and you are well known among the Order of the Long Death." He continued regardlessly.

„What are you talking about? I have killed highly twenty and most of them were evil and dreadful monsters!" Ariaen eventually burst out.

There another man appeared out of the shadows. He was bigger, but looked as dark and dangerous as the first one wearing three big scars on his bald head.

"Enough talk, Grimgnaw. Ariaen Pathfinder is a threat to us here. We must deal with her as we have dealt with the other spirits that opposed us!"

Ariaen wrinkled her eyebrows. „What? What are you-!"

But the dwarf interrupted her again with his loud authorative tone. "Maugrim, you swore your allegiance to me when the power of the Old Ones abandoned you. Do not forget that I am in charge." His underling duly chastised, Grimgnaw turned his attention back to Ariaen.

The archer was only shaking her head in incomprehension wanting to end this conversation and leave those strange people behind her back and so didn't pay attention to the dwarf any more. Instead Ariaen turned to ask her companions what to do as suddenly Valen's arm appeared around her hip shoving her away with a swift and rough gesture. Then everything went very quick. As Ariaen still fought for balance gazing back on Valen she saw the man named Grimgnaw hitting the tiefling with his bare feet on his knee so hard she heard his joint crack. At the same moment Valen swung his mace at the attacker and the other opponent as well as Nathyrra drew their blades. Thanks to Valen Ariaen was out of the immediate reach of both men and hastily fumbled at her bow when three more figures stepped out of the dark behind the to enemies. Ariaen gaped as the mighty axe of a monstrous creature wearing the body of a man and the head of a bull came down on Valen. Behind him a woman reloaded her crossbow and a skeleton started to cast magic. Ariaen didn't have time to wonder about their appearance any more, since blow after blow went down on Valen and Nathyrra. So the archer drew her string time after time trying to support her companions with her arrows. As the fight continued they entered the cave and she had some more space to aim thoroughly. However, this fight was even harder than the one against Vix'tra. And it seemed much faster than all the fights before. Much faster everybody moved, blows were dealt out and taken. Everyone screamed, groaned or hissed. spells were cast, arrows and bolts were flying. For Ariaen it felt like a macabre and gruesome dance, but a dance of uneven number of partners. Three against five. _Three against five,_ it hammered inside her head. _Three against five_ on every potion her companions uncorked. _Three against five_ on every hit that was dealt. Then the monster with the bull's head went down with an ear-deafening yell. _Three against four_, Ariaen was chanting to herself like being in trance. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Valen being under direct attack from the dwarf and his fighter-friend, bleeding from innumerable wounds, bolts stuck in his arms and legs. _Three against four_. Then the fighter went down. Ariaen was bitting her lips. _Three against three_. Valen was bleeding even more. _Why isn't he drinking another potion? _Another blow from the dwarf and the tiefling went on one knee_. WHY IS HE NOT DRINKING ANOTHER POTION? _Her arrow missed the dwarf. _Three against three_, Ariaen chanted. Then Valen went down...

„NOOOOOOOO!" Ariaen's yell was sounding through the cave and breaking on the stone walls a thousandfold. She ran towards the dwarf. Valen did not move. A bolt hit Ariaen, but she only stumbled a little. Like in a far distance she heard the mage's death cry, but it all was insignificant to her. Ariaen's eyes met Grimgnaw's and he smiled viciously at her, shifting his body like a Kung-Fu fighter. Then with a precise and deathly kick he hit Valen's unprotected head. The skull was cracking. Ariaen froze, her eyes went wide and panic and emotion tried to overwhelm her. Then her feelings suddenly turned into wrath, naked, cold-blooded wrath against the monster of a man who had done that. Tears were streaming down her face, but she blinked them away. Slowly she drew her string and aimed. Then gazing into the cold eyes of the dwarf her lips formed three words. _I kill you_. Bleeding from many wounds too the dwarf still held her gaze when his moribund body, burning arrow in his throat, went down beside the tiefling's. Ariaen was hit by another bolt, before she heard Nathyrra making an end to their last opponent's life. However, she did not care, but slowly, step for step approached the tiefling's lifeless figure lying in his own blood.

Two paces before she reached him, the _Forever_ slipped out of her hands. Another step and Ariaen sank to her knees, tears clouding her sight.

Her hands shaking she slowly reached for Valen's head turning his face into her direction. His eyes were closed, but on the right side of his skull there was a great wound still bleeding. She bowed closer, watching his breast, but it did not move. Slowly she reached for his arm, removed the gauntlet and put two fingers on his pulse, but there was none. With a loud cough the lump in her throat loosened, leaving her crying uncontrollably. Ariaen's head sank on Valen's dead torso, her hands wrapped around his. _Nooo... not again, not again... _There was no space for any more thoughts inside her head, when suddenly Nathyrra's voice, croaky from exhaustion, but still with a naughty undertone, entered her broken mind. „We could resurrect him if we had a wand of resurrection..."

It took a while, then Ariaen wearily lifted her head looking at the Drow in bewilderment. „What?" she aspirated.

„A wand of resurrection. You know. They had one in the settlement we left." To underline her statement she waved her fingers, showing the magic ring that protected against the cold. „In the shop." She added grinning.

„Wand? Of? Resurrection?" Ariaen stammered, then gazed at Valen, then back to Nathyrra hope glowing in her eyes. „Like to...revive people?"

„Yep." Nathyrra said down at Ariaen's side.

„Can we get it?" The archer asked anxiously.

Nathyrra seemed to think for a while. „We'd need a lot of money... or goods. It's not cheap." With shaking hands Ariaen began to search her backpack, absend-mindedly piling coins, jewellery, gems and other precious looking items in front of the Drow. „If this isn't enough we could sell my armour..." She was looking herself up and down. „Or the ring...or...". She met Nathyrra's gaze who had one eyebrow hooked. The Drow then flicked her tongue.

„Shouldn't you tell him eventually..."

Ariaen lowered her eyes, feeling caught red-handed. „I know."

„I need the sleeping men's ring, the demonic hand and your amulet."

Without hesitating Ariaen gave all three to the Drow who took it together with the other things and left.

Ariaen didn't know how long Nathyrra was gone. For a long while she only said there, held Valen's hand and hoped that she'd return with the wand and their plan would work out eventually. Then she began to fear that the Drow would not make it back. Although they had defeated a lot of opponents already, it was a dangerous and long way. And there was no guarantee it was possible at all to go back. At some point Ariaen was thinking about what she could do if Nathyrra was not coming back. How long should she wait? How should she continue? Then suddenly an idea struck her. Had not the reaper brought back her friends one time already? Maybe he could do this another time? But then she had to make it back to him, without the ring, the hand and money. Ariaen more or less came to the conclusion that there was almost no chance for her alone. She felt lost again and having nothing else to do returned to daydreaming. When Valen would be alive again, she would finally confess her feelings to him no matter how much time they could spend together. She would just enjoy every minute with him as long as it lasted. And maybe the Seer wasn't right and she would not be teleported back. Or maybe because the Seer was dead the magic had worn out.

Hours later, Ariaen didn't know if it was night or day since there was no sun in hell and no moon either, she lay down beside Valen's body and fell into an uneasy sleep. When she woke up again the icey wind outside was still blowing around the rocks. Ariaen sat up and the pain and stiffness of her body reminded her to where she was, in a cold and barren cave lying on hard stone. As she stretched her legs and arms she tried to pierce the twilight of the place, but could only make out blurry silhouettes. Nathyrra must already be gone for half a day. Ariaen sighed.

„If I had only told you earlier..." She whispered to herself.

„Then you wouldn't have died without knowing that I...", her voice broke, „...that I love you, too." And under sniffing continued, „Love you so much". She then buried her face inside her hands feeling the tears coming up again.

Suddenly a warm, rough hand laid on her quivering arm and she winced back a surprised cough loosing from her lips. And out of the shadows next to her a well-known deep, male voice whispered: "It is more than I could have hoped for that you might return my feelings, my lady. Nothing could make me happier."

Ariaen turned her head in the direction of the voice, confusion obvious in her facial expression. _Am I getting nuts already? Or am I dreaming?_

Suddenly there was movement beside her and then Valen's face appeared in front of her eyes. The wound on his head was gone and he looked much healthier than when she had fallen asleep.

„Am I dreaming?" Ariaen asked baffled.

He smiled gently, leaning forward to kiss her upon the lips. The kiss was slow and contained a hint of promise. Afterwards, Valen smiled bashfully. „Is this answer enough, my Love?"

Ariaen shook her head in order to be able to think clearly. „I...I don't understand. I...", she stammered, „you...you were...dead!"

Valen averted his eyes and muttered. „I feel like a fool for having died. But I'm grateful that you saw fit to give me another chance."

„Well, I...I'd hope you would do the same for me, but-"

His face suddenly became grim as Valen stared into Ariaen's eyes. He reached out with a rough hand touching her cheek. Silencing her with the gesture."I would storm the nine Hells themselves to bring you back to me, I swear it!"

For a long moment they only stared into each others eyes. Ariaen didn't want to know any more if she was dreaming and if not it was not important to her how he had come back to life. It only mattered that he was, that his hand lay on her cheek, his kiss was still burning on her lips and his eyes glowed, due to the love they felt for each other.

Then she remembered and the blessedly expression disappeared from her face. Ariaen lowered her eyes, dropping her shoulders. „Well, the nine Hells won't be enough I fear." The archer gazed back at him. „There is something I needed to tell you since a long while." She breathed in deeply. „Before the battle the Seer told me that after having defeated the enemy I will most likely be teleported back into my world. And there is nothing I could do to stop it."

Disappointment and sorrow flashed up in his eyes and Ariaen covered his hand with hers. „That's exactly why I didn't tell you." She breathed. „I didn't want to see this expression on your face." She then shook her head in despair and sighed. „Do you see any chance for us?"

The tiefling looked off into the distance. "I do not know, truly. All I know is that you are the most amazing woman I have ever encountered. Any future we have is enough for me." Then he put his hand in her neck, drawing her even closer. His eyes burning deep into hers and with a throaty voice he continued. „Better short than none at all."

Then he sealed her mouth with his lips again. This time his kiss was passionately and pressing, full of held-back emotion. When they parted again Valen breathed heavily and he bashfully lowered his eyes. „We should better stop or... I might loose control over my good manners." Ariaen reached for his hair seeking his eyes again. „I would like that, I suppose" She said with a naughty giggling voice.

„Interrupting something?" A sudden voice appeared beside them.


End file.
